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OF   THE 

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PRINCETON,   N.  J. 

x> o :v -:^  Ti  o  ::v     o  b^ 

SAMUEL    AGNE^V, 


OF     PHILAPELPHIA,    PA. 


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■ " '^5>9  S<^^'9  e<^^>9  ^  ; 


Division 


Section 

No 


1; 


LITTLE   BOOK   OPEN: 


CONTAINING    THE 


CRY  OF  A  LOUD  VOICE  AS  WHEN  A  LION  ROARETH; 


LAYING    OPEN 


THE   REVELATIONS, 


AND  ALSO  THE  FAITH   ONCE   DELIVERED  TO  THE  SAINTS. 


FROM  THE  HAND  OF  JOHN  WHITEHEAD. 


"  Like  as  the  lion,  and  the  young  lion  roaring  on  his  prey,  when  a  MULTITUDE  OF 
SHEPHERDS  is  called  forth  against  him,  he  will  not  be  afraid  of  their  voice,  nor  abase 
himself  for  the  noise  of  them,  so  shall  the  LORD  OF  HOSTS  come  down  to  fight  for 
Mount  Zion,  and  for  the  hill  thereof"  Is.  xxxi.  4. 

"  Take  it,  and  eat  it  up ;  and  it  shall  make  thy  liclly  bitter,  but  it  shall  be  in  thy  mouth 
sweet  as  honey."    Rev.  x.  9. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

PRINTED  FOR  JOHN  WHITEHEAD,  HAMPTON,  Va. 

1836. 


Entered,  according  to  the  act  of  congress,  in  the  year  1836,  by  John 
Whitehead,  in  the  clerk's  office  of  the  district  court  for  the  eastern 
district  of  Pennsylvania.  « 

A.  WALDIE,  PR. 


ERRATA. 

29,  for  "  and  he  their  God,"  read  a.7\d  be  their  God. 

Page  31,  for  "  Rev.  2,"  read  Rev.  xi. 

Page  47,  line  3,  for  "we,  having  nothing  to  do,  do  not  do  it,  and  are  sinners," 
read — we,  having  something  to  do,  do  not  do  it,  and  are  sinners. 

Page  52,  last  line,  for  "  the  word  of  God  w;is  written,"  read  has  written. 

Page  6],  line  18,  for  "he  thirstcth,"  read  thirsted. 

Page  63,  line  28,  alter  "to  have  something  to"  insert  do. 

Page  69,  line  16,  for  "  tiiat  there  was  no  power,"  read  that  there  is  no  power. 

Page  71,  line  33,  for  "  If  he  be  utterly  vain,"  read  If  it  be  utterly  vain. 

Page  72,  line  4,  for  "  Judah  (and  the  Protestant  churches,)"  read  Jadah  (i.  e.  the 
Protestant  churches). 

Page  78,  line  7,  for  "  teachers  of  his  lies,"  read  teachers  of  lies. 

Page  90,  line  9,  for  "his  own  religious  work,"  read  his  own  righteous  work. 

Page  92,  line  6,  for  "  bondman,"  read  bondwoman,  and  correct  the  same  in  other 
places. 

Page  119,  line  2,  for  "  to  make  this  beast  more,"  read  to  make  this  beast  move. 
"       "      line  7,  for  "  is  very  wicked,"  read  is  very  wickedness. 

Page  126,  12lh  line  from  the  bottom,  for  "  is  now  cast  out,"  read  is  not  now 
cast  out. 

Page  131,  for  "  (Matth.  2.  4,)"  read  {Matth.  24.  22.) 

Page  139,  Ch.  14th,  omit  the   letter   "V"    before   the    numerical   summary   of 
events  which  are  afterwards  revealed. 

Page  140,  omit  the  heading  "Ch.  XV.,"  for  the  14th  chapter  now  only  begins 
after  the  preceding  remarks  and  summary. 


PREFACE. 

The  contents  of  this  book  are  indeed  extraordinary,  and  the 
doctrine  it  unfolds  wonderful.  "  To  the  word  and  to  the  testi- 
mony^^ let  every  man  go  and  search,  and  he  will  see  that  he  who 
will  believe  the  plain  and  simple  word  and  testimony  of  God 
cannot  be  deceived,  and  cannot  be  mistaken.  It  was  no  doubt 
necessary  that  such  a  book  as  this  should  be  confirmed  in  an 
extraordinary  manner — that  the  evident  and  manifest  authority 
of  God  should  be  given  to  his  own  truth  and  doctrine,  at  a  time 
and  in  a  day  when  that  truth  is  lost  and  unknown  in  the  con- 
fusion of  religious  sects,  and  in  the  unintelligible  confusion  of 
religious  books  and  doctrines  :  and  accordingly  it  is  so. 

Many  things  will  concur  to  deceive  men,  and  lead  them  away 
from  giving  any  heed  to  the  contents  of  this  book.  If  there 
were  no  deceivers,  no  deceptions,  no  deceitful  lusts,  enticing 
and  blinding  men,  none  would  be  deceived  and  none  would 
perish — for  all  would  believe ;  but  God  hath  in  his  wisdom 
suffered  the  devil  to  have  great  power,  and  suffered  his  delu- 
sions to  be  strong,  that  they  whom  it  is  not  the  good  pleasure 
of  his  will  to  save,  may  not  be  saved  against  their  will.  There- 
fore the  truth  of  God  has  always  appeared  an  absurdity  to  the 
men  of  this  world,  and  especially  to  the  wise  and  prudent 
among  them,  but  who  are  not  wise  enough  to  receive  the  truth. 

God  will  deliver  those  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy,  (to  whom 
he  will  give  repentance  and  make  willing,  and  draw  unto  him- 
self,) from  "  all  the  pozver  of  the  enemy."  But  Satan  has  got 
ready  beforehand  delusions  expressly  prepared  by  him  against 
this  Little  Book,  that  the  manifest  truth  of  its  contents  may  be 
suspected,  and  that  it  may  be  classed  with,  and,  if  possible,  be 
buried  in  and  swept  away  by  the  flood  of  falsehood  which  he 
has  poured  out  against  the  truth — the  covenant  of  God's  ever- 
lasting love — which  covenant  is  called  a  woman.  Those,  there- 
fore, who  hate  the  truth  in  their  hearts,  (though  "with  their 
mouths  they  show  much  love^")  will  not  be  in  want  of  abundant 


VI  prp:pace. 

strong  reasons,  and  satisfactory  proofs  to  their  minds,  to  reject 
the  counsel  of  God.  When  they  saw  that  the  truth  would  cut 
down  all  the  pride,  and  all  the  covetous  projects,  and  all  the 
hopes  and  delights  (or  lusts)  of  the  earthly  man,  they  would  be 
very  sorry  indeed  if  this  truth  was  so  plain  that  they  could  not 
possibly  deny  it,  but  must  submit  to  it,  finding  no  hole  to  creep 
out  of;  therefore  they  have  the  secret  wish  of  their  hearts  fully 
gratified ;  Satan  provides  abundant  delusions  for  them,  so 
numerous  and  strong  that  {for  a  short  time)  they  will  not 
merely  escape  the  truth,  but  triumph  over  it  altogether,  and  be 
positively  and  fully  convinced  tliat  they  are  right  and  the  truth 
of  God  is  wrong. 

Before  Christ  came,  Satan,  who  knew  he  was  shortly  to 
appear,  raised  up  just  before  the  time  many  false  christs ;  so 
that  when  the  true  Messiah  came — when  God  was  manifested 
in  the  flesh  and  named  Jesus — those  who  wished  not  to  receive 
him,  and  to  be  saved  from  their  sins,  were  able  to  say,  "  This  is 
merely  another  false  christ ;  he  will  turn  out  like  all  the  others ; 
it  will  all  end  in  smoke. ''^ 

Before  this  little  book  has  appeared,  one  man  has  already 
come,  preaching  that — all  the  religious  sects  and  denominations 
are  wrong ;  and  that,  since  the  days  of  the  apostles,  the  apos- 
tolic form  has  not  been  followed — (as  if  the  truth  of  God  con- 
sisted in  a  form.)  And  thus,  by  exposing  the  glaring  errors  of 
the  religious  world,  Satan  has  attempted  to  bring  in  "  damnable 
heresies  and  doctrines  of  devils,^'  and  to  gain  to  his  old  lies  the 
name  of  the  ^^  Reformation  f^  so  that  he  may  get  men  still  to 
remain  worshippers  of  the  beast— still  to  have  confidence  in 
man,  and  his  piety,  and  his  doings — and  for  a  Reformation,  to 
adopt  a  form  and  decry  some  palpable  errors  ! 

Another  delusion,  which  Satan  has  prepared  beforehand 
against  the  true  doctrine  of  Christ  contained  in  this  little  book, 
has  been  a  sect  called  Mornionites,  who  have  put  forth  a  book 
which  they  say  they  found  ready  written,  and  to  which  they 
attribute  divine  authority;  thus  many  will  be  able  to  satisfy 
themselves  that  they  need  pay  no  attention  whatever  to  this 
little  book,  by  saying  that  it  is  merely  another  delusion  of  the 
same  description. 

But  (and  let  it  be  pondered  well)  this  book  does  not  pretend 
to  inspiration  more  than  the  books,  and  sermons,  and  preachers, 
of  all  the  religious  sects :  they  all  say  they  speak  by  the  spirit 


PREFACE.  Vll 


of  God — and  that  is  to  be  inspired.  Now,  if  they  speak  the 
truth,  then  they  do  speak  by  the  spirit  of  God — then  they  are 
inspired.  They  are  obliged  to  say  they  speak  by  the  spirit  of 
God,  (else  they  must  acknowledge  they  are  liars,)  and  yet  they 
will  make  a  great  outcry  against  one's  saying  the  same  thing. 
To  the  Word  and  to  the  testimony^  and  no  mistake  can  be  made 
who  speaks  by  the  spirit  of  God  and  who  does  not.  But  that 
no  one  may  be  frightened  by  the  cry  which  will  doubtless  be 
made  against  "inspiration,"  as  if  it  necessarily  and  inevitably 
involved  arrogance  and  presumption,  let  every  man  know  that, 
if  he  is  a  child  of  God  and  believes,  he  must  bear  this  charge 
and  accusation  upon  himself  also ;  for  the  Holy  Ghost  has 
written,  that  if  a  man  is  not  inspired  he  is  none  of  Christ's — 
he  does  not  belong  to  him  (Romans,  viii.  9).  It  is  also  written, 
that  a  man  cannot  even  say  that  Jesus  is  the  Lord,  unless  he  is 
inspired.  (1  Cor.  xii.  3.) 

If  men  were  conscious  that  they  spoke  the  truth,  and  nothing 
but  the  truth,  then  they  would  not  be  afraid  to  acknowledge 
that  it  was  God's  truth,  and  not  their  own ;  but  when  they  are 
convicted  by  their  own  conscience  of  picking  up  what  they 
profess  to  know  from  books,  and  men's  wisdom  and  teaching, 
they  wish  that  others  should  do  the  same,  and  make  a  great 
outcry  against  being  taught  of  God,  and  speaking  by  the  spirit 
of  God ;  for,  conscious  that  they  themselves  are  not  taught  by 
God,  they  must  persuade  themselves  and  others  that  no  one 
else  is :  hence  arise  charges  and  accusations  of  "  arrogance," 
"  presumption,"  "  inspiration,"  (fcc.  It  is  indeed  arrogance  and 
presumption  when  man  claims  any  thing  to  himself,  or  as  of 
himself:  the  glory  which  God  puts  upon  all  his  saints  is  not 
personal,  nor  is  it  bodily ;  it  is  Christ's,  not  theirs ;  it  is  in 
Christ,  not  in  them ;  "  they  are  complete  in  HimJ' 

Also,  this  book  contains  nothing  new,  but,  on  the  contrary, 
that  which  is  old  and  ancient,  the  faith  of  our  fathers — of  Abra- 
ham, Isaac,  and  Jacob — the  faith  of  God's  people  in  all  ages. 
The  doctrines  of  this  Time  are  new,  the  doctrines  of  strange 
children,  who  "  are  come  into  thine  inheritance,  thy  holy  temple 
have  they  defied."  It  contains  nothing  but  that  great  truth 
which  is  revealed  and  testified  throughout  the  Scriptures,  open- 
ing, explaining,  inculcating,  and  reiterating  the  same  over  and 
over  again  in  various  ways. 

All  the  efforts  of  the  enemy  will  not  succeed  with  those 


Vlll  PREFACE. 

who  "  seek  after  wisdom  as  for  hidden  treasure,^^  to  whom  God 
hath  given  the  mind  and  the  wish  to  know  the  truth :  they 
who  would  not  diligently  seek  and  enquire,  who  would  not  go 
every  length  and  make  every  sacrifice  to  obtain  truth,  will 
surely  not  find  it,  but  will  give  heed  to  the  first  lie  which  turns 
away  from  it,  (because,  in  truth,  at  the  bottom  of  their  hearts 
they  do  not  care  a  straw  about  it,)  whereas  they  would  go  thou- 
sands of  miles  and  not  be  turned  away  by  any  persuasion  from 
the  pursuit  of  a  sum  of  money. 

It  is  against  God's  elect  that  Satan  raises  up  all  these  delu- 
sions and  false  lights,  that  he  may  lead  them  astray,  but  he 
cannot  succeed  with  them ;  God  will  fight  for  his  Church,  for 
Mount  Zion,  and  "  iio  weapon  that  is  formed  against  thee  shall 
prosper^ 

"  Behold,  I  come  quickly  ;  blessed  is  he  that  keepeth  the  sayings 
of  the  prophecy  of  this  Book.''''  "  He  which  testificth  these  things 
saith,  Surely  I  come  quickly  :  Amen.     Even  so,  come^  Lord  Jesus." 

Philadelphia,  September  1,  1836. 


INTRODUCTION. 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  law  of  God  must  be  fulfilled,  it  cannot  be  broken ;  it  is  the 
very  principle  of  right  and  wrong,  and  it  is  utterly  impossible  that  it 
can  be  broken  in  one  jot  or  tittle.  No  wrong  of  any  kind  can  be 
done  and  go  unpunished,  else  it  were  no  law  at  all,  and  evil  were  no 
evil  at  all. 

The  law  of  God  is  written  in  the  hearts  of  all  men,  by  which  they 
all  know  that  evil  is  evil,  and  good  is  good.  But  as  men  pervert 
this  law  and  put  it  from  them,  and  persuade  themselves  that  evil  is 
not  evil,  God  gave  this  law  in  writing  to  a  chosen  people,  by  Moses 
and  by  the  prophets,  that  truth  might  be  known  on  the  earth  for  the 
sakes  of  all  those  whom  he  will  teach  knowledge. 

This  law  of  God  is  the  very  substance  of  right  and  wrong ;  but  for 
it  being  written  in  their  hearts,  men  would  never  have  had  any  idea 
or  any  perception  whatever  of  right  or  wrong.  This  law,  that  good 
must  be  done,  and  evil  must  not  be  done,  God  has  established  for 
ever,  and  it  cannot  be  broken.  Evil  is  therefore  sure  to  follow  evil, 
and  the  judgment  of  the  world  for  wickedness  is  sure  and  inevitable. 

This  law  is  perfect,  and  therefore  admits  of  no  evil  or  wrong  what- 
ever, nothing  short  of  perfect  good  is  an  obedience  to  this  law ;  if 
it  admitted  less  than  perfect  good  it  would  be  both  a  vain  and  an 
unrighteous  law,  for  the  least  evil  being  permitted,  it  would  sanction 
all  evil.  An  imperfect  obedience  is  a  violation  of  it ;  herein  is  the 
condemnation  of  men.  that  they  do  not  perfectly  obey  the  law  of 
God. 

All  men  will  be  judged  according  to  this  law,  whether  they  have 
obeyed  it,  or  whether  they  have  not,  whether  they  have  done  good 
or  evil ;  they  all  know  and  confess  its  truth  and  justice,  for  by  it 
they  accuse  and  condemn  one  another,  and  take  vengeance  one  upon 
the  other,  for  it  is  written  in  their  hearts,  they  know  it  naturally. 
When  they  say  "  if  a  man  is  virtuous  he  will  he  happy,  if  he  is  honest 
he  will  prosper,  vice  will  bring  misery, ^^  and  the  like,  they  utter  their 
knowledge  of  the  law  of  God,  which  they  have  by  nature.  When 
they  say  "  if  you  do  good,  you  will  go  to  heaven;  if  not  you  will  go 
to  hell,"  they  express  their  knowledge  of  the  law  of  God  which  they 
have  naturally ;  for  this  is  the  law,  that  good  will  be  rewarded  and 
evil  also  will  be  justly  rewarded.  Now  if  the  good  be  amplified  by 
being  called  piety,  religion,  faith,  &c.,  and  if  the  reward  be  amplified 
by  being  called  heaven,  yet  it  is  still  only  the  law  of  God  ;  and  if  the 
evil  be  expressed  by  the  name  of  irreligion,  impiety,  unbelief,  &c.,  and 
the  punishment  more  forcibly  represented  by  the  words  hell  and  de- 
struction, &c.,  yet  it  is  nothing  but  the  law  of  God  which  men  know 
naturally.  And  also  if  the  good  be  inculcated  and  recommended  by 
1 


2  INTRODUCTION. 

speaking  of  Christ  and  love  and  the  goodness  of  God,  and  if  the  evil 
be  exhibited  as  the  suffering  of  everlasting  punishment,  yet  none  of 
these  additions  or  appendages  change  the  fact ;  it  is  still  the  law  of 
God  which  men  know  by  nature,  which  law  is  true,  and  makes 
known  the  fact,  that  good  is  surely  followed  by  good  as  its  reward, 
and  evil  is  inevitably  allied  with  evil  as  its  own  punishment.  All 
these  truths,  however  variously  expressed,  and  though  mixed  up  with 
whatever  other  sentiments,  or  united  with  the  most  pathetic  descrip- 
tions of  the  death  of  Christ,  and  eulogies  of  the  goodness  of  God  ; — 
though  enforced  by  the  most  terrific  descriptions  of  punishment  to 
come,  are  nothing  but  the  law  of  God  which  all  men  know  by 
nature. 

Those  who  profess  to  serve  God  and  obey  the  Gospel,  call  this 
natural  knowledge  of  the  law  of  God  by  the  names  of  divinity,  gospel, 
piety,  or  religion :  they  are  spoken  of  by  the  Spirit  of  God  as  the 
Earth.  Those  who  wickedly  reject  the  authority  of  God,  and  revile 
his  word,  call  their  '"^tural  knowledge  of  the  law  of  God  by  the 
names  of  virtue,  morality,  honour,  &c. ;  these  are  described  by  the 
Spirit  as  the  Sea,  which  signifies  the  world  in  general,  as  the  Earth 
standing  out  of  the  waters  signifies  the  body  of  religious  professors. 
But  at  this  time  the  Sea  and  the  Earth  are  confounded  together, 
there  is  no  difference  in  their  doctrine,  it  is  what  they  know  natu- 
rally of  the  law  of  God.  They  both  know  the  law  and  fulfil  it  not ; 
they  both  preach  that  they  ought  to  do  good  and  practise  virtue,  and 
they  do  evil.  To  testify  against  one  is  to  testify  against  them  both, 
and  to  declare  God's  truth  is  to  set  the  feet  upon  (that  is,  to  testify 
against)  the  sea  and  the  earth,  for  they  are  now  confounded  together. 
Wherefore  the  Apostle  speaking  before  of  this  day,  has  called  the 
men  of  the  Earth,  not  only  wandering  stars,  having  wandered  far 
from  the  truth  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  but  also  "  raging  waves  of 
the  Sea,''''  for  they  are  also  men  of  the  world,  natural  men,  (calling 
their  natural  knowledge  and  fleshly  wisdom  the  Gospel  of  God) 
'■\foaming  out  their  oion  shame  ;"  this  they  do  when  they  talk  loudly 
of  their  convictions  for  sin  and  what  hell-deserving  sinners  they  are ; 
which,  true  as  it  is,  is  a  shame  and  disgrace  to  every  man. 

God  has  expressly  declared  in  the  psalms  that  "  no  man  doeth 
good,  no,  not  one.^'  All  men  know  that  they  ought  to  do  good,  and 
not  to  do  evil,  this  is  the  law  of  God  written  in  their  hearts ;  but 
Righteousness,  that  is,  doing  good,  does  not  come  by  knowing  this ; 
Righteousness  does  not  come  by  the  law.  So  certain  this  is,  that 
the  Apostle  declares  that  if  having  the  law,  knowing  that  we  ought 
to  do  good  and  not  to  do  evil,  would  lead  men  to  do  good,  then  the 
death  of  Christ  would  be  unnecessary ;  saying  to  the  Galatians  "  if 
righteousness  come  by  the  laxo,  then  Christ  is  dead  in  vain."  Not- 
withstanding the  express  word  of  God  to  the  contrary,  the  Earth, 
that  is,  the  professors  of  religion,  who  profess  to  know  and  to  be  obe- 
dient to  the  word  of  God,  imagine  that  they  do  good,  and  call  upon 
men  to  do  good,  and  highly  esteem  what  they  call  piety,  and  pious 
actions  and  feelings  which  they  imagine  to  be  good.  They  tliink 
that  they  do  good,  that  they  obey  God's  law,  (for  there  is  no  other 
good  and  no  other  Righteousness  than  a  perfect  and  continual  obe- 


IIVTEODUCTION.  3 

dience  to  the  law  of  God  :)  thus  making  God  a  liar,  for  God  declares 
that  no  man  doeth  good !  They  cover  this  wickedness  by  deceit, 
pretending  to  ascribe  the  good  which  they  believe  they  do,  to  God, 
saying  they  do  good  by  the  Grace  of  God  assisting  them !  God 
doth  not  assist  evil  man  who  doeth  not  good,  to  do  good :  the  sons 
of  Adam  do  no  good,  neither  with  nor  without  assistance,  they  do  no 
good  at  all !  God  hath  said  this !  Christ  Jesus,  a  new  man  the  Son 
of  God,  alone  doeth  good  (therefore  he  is  called  the  Holy  One) :  he 
doeth  good,  that  is  perfect  Righteousness  for  them  that  receive  him, 
and  the  evil  man  hath  no  share  nor  part  in  doing  the  good,  the 
righteousness,  which  he  alone  doeth ;  this  his  own  doing,  his  own 
Righteousness,  he  gives  to  and  puts  upon  them  that  believe,  and  by 
this  only  they  are  righteous,  and  perfect  fulfillers  of  the  law,  even 
by  his  doing,  and  his  only.  Therefore,  no  Righteousness  comes  by 
the  law,  and  all  Righteousness  comes  by  Christ,  and  by  him  only, 
who  is  the  righteous  One,  who  is  the  Righteousness  of  God. 

If  God  had  never  spoken  and  declared  that  no  man  doeth  good, 
men  bear  witness  of  themselves  and  declare  of  themselves  that  they 
do  not  do  good,  that  though  they  know  the  law,  and  talk  of  virtue 
and  piety,  yet  they  do  not  do  good  :  their  own  records  of  themselves, 
their  histories  for  nearly  6000  years  are  records  of  crimes,  and  tes- 
timonies of  disorder,  confusion  and  evil.  Vain  is  all  confidence  in 
the  flesh,  vain  is  the  expectation  that  evil  man  will  be  good ;  vain  is 
it  to  cry  "  do  good'''  "  do  good'''  to  this  sinful  and  malicious  beast, 
who  hath  eyes  but  he  seeth  not,  and  ears  but  he  heareth  not. 

The  law  of  God  requires  men  to  do  good  continually,  and  to  do  no 
evil  or  wrong  whatever,  and  its  curse  is  upon  all  those  who  do 
wrong,  who  do  not  continually  do  good.  This  curse  of  the  law  is 
certain  and  inevitable ;  if  it  could  be  escaped,  the  law  would  be  no 
law  at  all,  it  would  be  a  lie,  and  there  would  be  no  such  thing  as 
right  and  wrong.  Since  no  man  doeth  good,  no  man  ca,n  be  saved 
under  this  law,  for  it  condemns  all  who  are  under  it ;  being  under 
this  law  a  man  is  a  transgressor  and  wicked  ;  this  it  is  which  renders 
him  wicked,  viz.  being  a  transgressor  of  this  law,  and  not  obeying  it 
in  all  things  and  continually.  Since  therefore  there  is  no  Righte- 
ousness by  the  law,  by  knowing  it  and  following  it  and  by  trying  to 
obey  it,  for  let  him  do  what  he  will,  no  man  doeth  good,  therefore 
there  is  no  Salvation  by  the  law,  for  there  camiot  be  Salvation  with- 
out Righteousness. 

If  the  Gospel  of  God  was  sent  to  command  men  to  do  good,  there 
could  be  no  Righteousness,  and  consequently  no  salvation  by  the 
Gospel  any  more  than  by  the  law ;  for  since  God  declares  that  no 
man  doeth  good,  no  man  would  obey  the  Gospel  any  more  than  the 
law,  and  no  one  could  be  saved  by  such  a  gospel.  If  the  Gospel 
were  a  new  means  of  doing  good,  with  stronger  inducements  and 
better  promises  than  the  law,  whereby  to  induce,  and  assist,  and 
help  men  to  do  good  by  the  grace  of  God,  then  the  Gospel  would  be 
altogether  vain  and  useless,  for  God  expressly  declares  that  no  man 
doeth  good  at  all,  and  therefore  it  is  manifest  that  no  man  doeth 
good  by  any  inducement  or  assistance,  or  grace,  or  help,  or  entice- 
ment ;  and  thei-efore  if  this  were  the  Gospel,  no  man  would  be  saved 


INTRODUCTION. 


under  it.  Besides,  if  such  were  the  case,  if  the  Gospel  were  a  pro- 
mulgation of  good  and  excellent  precepts  to  men,  to  guide  and  teach 
them  to  do  good,  if  it  were  an  inducement  and  persuasive  to  them  to 
do  good,  such  a  Gospel  would  be  most  vain  and  unnecessary,  for  the 
Law  of  God  is  all  this !  The  law  is  a  perfect  and  comprehensive 
code  of  all  that  is  good  and  true;  it  is  perfect,  and  wants  no  addition 
or  help ;  it  ofiers  every  possible  inducement  and  promise  and  stimu- 
lus to  men  to  do  good,  and  not  to  do  evil ;  and  if  the  Gospel  was 
such  as  this,  commanding  or  persuading  men  to  do  good,  it  would  be 
nothing  but  the  law  itself;  for  the  law  of  God  commands  and  per- 
suades men  to  do  good ';  it  is  perfect,  and  omits  nothing :  there  is  no 
good  that  ought  to  be  done,  there  is  nothing  wise  and  excellent  that 
men  ought  to  pursue,  but  the  Law  of  God  contains  and  commands  it 
all.  Whatever  precepts  or  commands  to  do  good  can  be  given,  they 
are  already  contained  in  the  Law  of  God.  All  persuasions  to  do  good, 
by  whatever  name  they  may  be  called,  whether  called  virtue,  or 
morality,  or  religion,  or  gospel,  or  philosophy,  or  piety,  are  the  law 
of  God  ;  whatsoever  says  to  men  "  do  good'''  is  the  law  and  truth  of 
God,  though  it  may  be  covered  and  disguised  with  many  mixtures 
and  vain  additions. 

Therefore  the  Gospel  of  God  is  not  the  law  of  God ;  the  law  of 
God  commands  to  do  good,  tlie  Gospel  brings  no  such  command,  it 
is  not  wanted,  for  the  law  commands  all  good  perfectly  and  abun- 
dantly, and  requires  no  assistance  or  addition,  for  it  is  perfection 
itself;  if  the  Gospel  were  a  law  commanding  to  do  good,  it  would  be 
vain  and  unnecessary,  since  there  is  a  law  doing  all  this,  and  doing  it 
perfectly. 

Neither  does  the  Gospel,  or  the  Grace  of  God,  give  any  help  or 
assistance  to  men  to  obey  the  law,  that  is,  to  do  good.  All  who  are 
under  the  law,  are  transgressors  and  wicked ;  they  have  got  to  do 
good,  and  they  do  not  do  it,  and  therefore  they  are  under  condemna- 
tion, and  are  wicked.  And  God  gives  no  grace  to  the  wicked,  he  is 
angry  with  them  every  day,  as  the  prophet  David  declares.  Also 
Isaiah  says,  speaking  the  words  of  God,  that  it  would  be  of  no  use 
whatever  to  show  them  grace,  that  is  favour ;  saying,  "  let  favour  he 
showed  to  the  tvicked,  yet  will  he  not  learn  righteousness,  in  the  land 
of  uprightness  jvill  he  deal  unjustly,  and  will  not  behold  the  Majesty 
of  the  Lord.^^  God  cannot  show  favour  to  those  who  do  not  per- 
fectly obey  the  holy  law,  it  would  bo  to  violate  his  own  law,  which 
cannot  be  violated ;  they  are  under  a  curse,  and  cannot  also  at  the 
same  time  be  under  a  blessing.  Christ  is  of  no  effect  to  them  who 
are  under  the  law,  says  the  Apostle. 

Besides,  if  Christ  assisted  men  by  his  Grace  to  do  good,  then  they 
would  do  good,  and  God  would  be  made  a  liar,  for  God  declares  they 
do  not  do  good. 

If  God  assisted  men  by  his  Grace  through  Jesus  Christ  to  do 
good,  they  would  be  perfect,  and  never  do  evil,  for  to  do  good  is  per- 
fectly to  obey  the  law,  else  a  man  is  a  transgressor  whatever  he  may 
seem  to  do. 

If  men  did  good,  being  assisted  or  induced  by  the  Grace  and 
mediation  of  Christ,  they  might  boast  before  God :   the  glory  woidd 


INTRODUCTION.  t> 

be  due  to  them,  (for  they  would  fulfil  the  law,  else  it  is  no  good  at 
all,)  and  some  thanks  only  would  be  due  to  God  for  helping  them. 
Man  would  be  above  God ;  man  would  be  the  doer,  and  God  a  help ; 
man  would  be  the  principal,  and  God  an  instrument  and  servant  to 
him.  The  wicked  teachers  of  this  abomination  profess  that  it  is  so, 
when  they  allege,  with  feigned  condescension  and  humility,  that  all 
the  good  they  do  is  only  by  the  instrumentality  of  God,  making  Him 
an  instrument  to  them !  This  method  of  salvation,  which  proceeds 
from  the  father  of  lies  and  is  a  lie,  which  is  the  false  and  lying  Gos- 
pel of  this  evil  time,  by  which  man  is  exalted  above  God,  he,  that 
wicked  one,  doing  all,  by  the  Grace  of  God,  is  most  highly  pleasing 
to  man,  but  is  an  abomination  before  God. 

To  preach  to  man,  the  sinful  man,  (that  is,  the  man  of  sin,)  saying 
to  him  "  do  good,^^  is  to  set  at  nought  the  Lord  Christ,  and  to  make 
his  death  a  vanity;  it  is  to  put  him  out  of  the  way,  which  is  to  cru- 
citV  him  afresh ;  for  the  Holy  Ghost  has  expressly  declared  that  if 
good,  that  is  Righteousness,  come  by  the  law  of  doing  good,  by  our 
following  it,  or  our  exertions  to  obey  it,  then  Christ  is  dead  in  vain. 

To  preach  to  man  to  do  good,  all  good,  the  good  which  God's 
righteous  law  requires,  and  nothing  more  nor  less  than  it,  real  good- 
doing  to  one  another,  and  to  all  men  in  all  things  and  continually, 
and  no  wrong,  no  evil  whatever, — to  do  this  in  deed  and  in  truth,  is 
to  preach  God's  holy,  moral,  just,  and  perfect  law.  But  even  this  is 
not  to  preach  Christ  or  his  gospel,  there  is  no  good  news  in  this, 
here  are  no  glad  tidings,  for  inasmuch  as  men  do  not  obey  this  holy 
law,  they  are  condemned  by  it,  and  cannot  hope  for  salvation  under 
it.  But  to  preach  to  men  a  partial  and  not  a  perfect  fulfilling  of 
God's  law,  to  preach  substitutes  of  religious  invention  (ideas,  doc- 
trines, feelings,  convictions,  joining  societies,  and  churches,  &;c.  &c.,) 
instead  of  the  real  and  perfect  good-doing,  the  righteousness  of  God's 
eternal  law  of  right  and  wrong, — to  call  these  things  good,  to  dare 
to  say  that  the  Grace  of  God  helps  men  in  this  wickedness,  to  dare 
to  say  that  having  good  to  do,  a  man  can  be  saved  if  he  does  short 
of  real  good,  and  complete  and  continual  obedience, — this  is  not  only 
not  to  preach  Christ  or  his  Gospel,  but  it  is  not  even  to  preach  the 
law !  If  even  in  preaching  God's  true  and  perfect  law,  there  is  no 
gospel  and  no  salvation,  what  salvation  is  there  in  the  preaching  of 
the  law  mutilated,  set  aside,  and  overthrown ;  in  preaching  vain 
things  which  are  not  the  perfect  law  of  God  1  By  the  law  of  God, 
the  inviolable  and  perfect  law  of  right  and  good,  real  good,  that  is. 
Righteousness,  must  be  done,  and  no  wrong  no  evil  whatever  must 
be  done ;  but  to  preach  to  men  that,  if  they  do  something  or  any 
thing  whatever  less  than  perfect  obedience  in  all  things  and  con- 
tinually, that  then  they  will  be  saved  by  the  Grace  of  God,  through 
the  merits  and  mediation  of  Jesus  Christ, — this  is  turning  the  Grace 
of  God  into  lasciviousness ;  it  is  making  the  law  a  lie,  since  it  need 
not  be  perfectly  and  wholly  obeyed  ;  it  is  permitting  imperfect  obe- 
dience, which  is  transgression ;  and  it  is  making  Christ  and  his 
grace  the  minister  of  this  sin,  the  means  and  plea  for  admitting  evil 
and  overthrowing  the  law  ! 

This  is  overthrowing,  destroying,  or  killing  God's  law,  taking 


6  INTRODUCTION. 

away  all  its  force,  and  life,  and  power,  saying  it  does  not  require 
complete  obedience  ;  and  also  it  is  destroying  and  killing  the  Gospel, 
for  there  can  be  no  salvation ;  it  cannot  save,  if  it  leaves  man  under 
the  law,  bound  to  fulril  it,  and  cursed  and  condemned  as  transgressors 
of  it.  This  is  now  done  in  this  day,  by  the  Earth,  those  who  profess 
to  have  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  to  be  servants  and  children  of  the 
most  high  God,  the  professors  of  religion,  whp  trample  under  foot 
the  Son  of  God,  and  set  him  at  nought,  looking  to  do  good,  that  is 
looking  for  Righteousness,  to  their  own  efforts  and  obedience  of  the 
law,  thus  crucifying  and  despising  the  Son  of  God,  the  only  Righteous 
One ;  and  also  while  they  look  for  life  from  the  law  of  doing  good, 
yet  at  the  same  time  trampling  under  foot  that  very  law,  and  setting 
up  imaginary  good  of  their  own  invention  instead  of  it !  Thus  the 
two  witnesses  of  God,  the  law  by  which  God  testifies  to  man  of 
righteousness  and  judgment  to  come,  and  the  Gospel  by  which  God 
witnesses  to  men  of  Grace  and  of  the  Righteousness  of  God,  both 
these  two  witnesses  which  have  long  prophesied  in  sackcloth,  in 
weakness  and  obscurity  (viz.  for  42  months,  i.  e.  1260  years)  are 
now  at  length  killed :  the  bodies  of  these  witnesses  are  the  books 
which  contain  the  testimony  of  the  law  and  of  the  Gospel,  called  the 
Bible;  these  are  now  dead,  a  dead  letter,  but  (which  would  be  far 
better)  they  are  not  buried,  the  law  and  the  Gospel  are  slain,  but 
their  bodies,  their  mere  carcasses,  the  bible,  is  set  up  almost  as  a 
god,  and  is  sent  about  and  seen  of  all  the  sects,  and  names,  and  par- 
ties (kindreds  and  tongues  and  nations)  of  the  earth  (apostate  cor- 
rupt Christendom). 

The  earthly  men,  professors  of  human  piety  and  human  Righteous- 
ness, were  always  tormented  when  the  truth  of  the  law  and  of  the 
Gospel  was  preached,  even  though  in  sackcloth ;  but  now  they  arc 
merry  and  triumphant,  and  send  about  the  presents  of  their  tracts  and 
'■'■good  books;"  now  they  are  no  longer  tormented  with  hearing  the 
voice  of  truth,  and  in  their  triumph  they  proudly  talk  of  bringing 
about  the  Millennium  with  a  little  more  exertion  of  human  power  and 
righteousness!  But  their  time  is  at  hand,  and  they  dream  not  of  it. 
They  are  a  city,  spoken  of  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  by  the  name  of 
Sodom  and  Egypt  and  Babylon,  and  this  city  and  its  proud  battle- 
ments must  be  destroyed,  for  it  is  a  city  of  falsehood  and  violence, 
and  hatred  and  strife,  and  confusion  and  hypocrisy. 

Wickedness  to  such  an  extent,  and  triumphing  with  so  much  con- 
fidence under  the  deceitful  appearance  of  wonderful  holiness  and 
piety  and  humility,  has  never  before  been  witnessed  in  the  world 
since  its  foundation ;  in  no  other  time  the  law  of  God,  that  just  and 
true  and  holy  law  of  doing  right  and  not  doing  wrong,  has  been  so 
completely  slain  and  thrust  aside,  and  such  vain  and  idle  substitutes 
set  up  in  the  place  of  it :  and  in  no  other  time  since  Christ  appeared, 
has  his  holy  name  and  doctrine  been  so  despised  and  trampled  under 
foot.  And  this  is  now  done,  not  by  enemies,  with  shame  and  fear ; 
not  by  the  declared  ungodly,  but  the  law  is  thrown  down  and  Christ 
is  crucified  afresh  and  put  to  shame,  triumphantly,  boastingly,  and 
confidently,  by  those  who  call  themselves  servants  and  children  of 
God !  and  they  commit  this  wickedness  under  the  very  name  and 


INTRODUCTION.  .  7 

pretence  and  with  the  profession  of  serving  God  faithfully  and  zeal- 
ously, and  doing  wonderful  things  for  him !  Accordingly  even 
Enoch,  the  seventh  from  Adam,  prophesied  of  this  religious  genera- 
tion. This  generation  which  crucifies  afresh  the  Lord  of  Glory, 
setting  him  at  nought,  holding  him  up  to  scorn  and  derision,  as  per- 
forming a  useless  work  and  dying  in  vain,  setting  up  above  him  the 
righteousness  and  piety  of  filthy  and  wicked  man,  this  is  the  same 
with  that  generation  which  also  crucified  him  before,  preferring  their 
own  Righteousness  before  the  Righteousness  of  God.  But  when 
they  crucified  him  they  did  not  practise  deceit,  they  did  not  kiss  him 
and  pretend  to  obey  him,  nor  call  him  "  the  dear  Redeemer,"  while 
they  set  him  at  nought ;  they  did  not  talk  in  feigned  raptures  of  his 
grace  and  power  when  they,  as  these  do,  openly  exhibited  him  slain 
by  them.  They  also  set  aside  the  law  of  God  by  their  traditions, 
but  they  did  not  altogether  kill  it  by  nothing  but  vain  substitutions 
of  their  own  piety  in  its  place ;  for  they  were  strict  and  devout 
according  to  the  law,  and  some  of  them  as  to  the  righteousness  of 
the  law  were  blameless. 


CHAPTER  II. 

The  doctrine  is  most  true,  that  all  who  do  good  shall  be  saved  ;  all 
without  exception,  without  any  favour,  or  election :  this  is  true,  for 
it  is  the  law  of  God ;  whosoever  he  be  who  doeth  good  and  who 
doeth  no  evil,  he  shall  save  his  soul  alive ;  this  is  the  law  of  God, 
and  it  is  true ;  here  is  no  favour,  here  is  no  election ;  such  a  person 
must  be  saved,  it  is  due  to  him,  it  is  a  debt.  If  God  left  all  men 
under  this  law,  viz.  that  if  they  did  good  they  should  live,  it  would 
be  right  and  good ;  and  no  man  then  would  be  saved  (for  no  man 
doeth  good)  and  this  also  would  be  right  and  good. 

Since  this  law  cannot  be  broken,  no  man  who  is  under  it  can  be 
saved  unless  he  perfectly  fulfils  it  in  all  things  and  at  all  times :  and 
since  no  man  does  this,  no  man  can  be  saved  who  is  under  this  law. 
If  a  man  is  under  this  law,  it  requires  of  him  all  good  and  no  evil ; 
nothing  short  of  perfect  obedience  will  be  admitted  by  it,  for  it  is 
against  all  evil ;  and  also  it  is  inexorable,  it  cannot  forego  its  de- 
mands or  admit  of  the  least  violation  of  its  commands,  else  it  were 
no  law  at  all ;  and  therefore  no  man  can  be  saved  who  is  under  it, 
for  no  man  obeys  it. 

It  is  a  monstrous  deception  of  Satan,  by  which  a  man  imagines 
that  God  will  sufter  the  law  to  be  violated  by  taking  a  part  obe- 
dience instead  of  a  perfect  obedience,  or  by  relaxing  in  its  demands : 
this  is  impossible  ;  God  does  not  set  up  a  law  and  then  cast  it  down ; 
all  who  are  under  this  law  must  perfectly  obey  it,  or  they  are  lost. 
All  men  are  born  under  this  law,  and  under  it  they  must  remain 
unless  God  removes  them  from  under  it,  for  they  cannot  set  it  aside 
nor  escape  from  it.  All  men  cannot  be  taken  from  under  it,  all  can- 
not be  saved,  for  if  so,  there  would  be  no  law,  that  is,  no  right  and 
wrong,  and  the  Law  having  been  given  declaring  the  wrath  of  God 
against  all  wrong-doing,  would  be  a  lie,  and  there  would  be  no  wrath 


a  .  IXTRODUCTION. 

against  unrighteousness  and  ungodliness,  if  all  who  have  done  un- 
righteousness escajjed  from  the  penalty  of  the  law.  God  will  save 
some,  because  he  will  have  mercy,  he  will  save  them  only  and  en- 
tirely for  his  own  name's  sake  ;  therefore  before  the  world  began, 
long  before  man  was  made.  He,  seeing  and  knowing  every  one  of  the 
human  race,  chose  a  portion  out  of  the  whole  lump,  each  one  of 
whom  he  knew  and  saw,  whom  for  his  own  name's  sake  he  appointed 
unto  everlasting  life ;  whom  he  gave  to  Christ ;  whom  he  loved  in 
Christ ;  giving  favour  and  grace  to  them  in  him,  as  members  of 
Christ,  not  as  children  of  Adam,  not  as  members  of  that  corrupt 
tree.  In  the  fullness  of  time  Christ  came  to  redeem  these  from 
under  the  law,  that  they  might  receive  the  adoption  of  sons,  and 
become  sons  of  God  through  faith  in  his  name,  and  be  no  longer 
children  of  bondage.  It  is  the  will  of  God  to  punish  the  ungodly, 
for  their  ungodliness  and  for  their  wicked  works,  and  only  for  them 
and  in  proportion  to  them,  this  is  the  law  of  God :  and  also  it  is  the 
will  of  God  to  save  the  ungodly  for  his  own  glory,  for  his  own  holy 
name's  sake,  and  only  because  he  will  have  mercy.  This  is  the 
Grace  of  God.  This  which  is  his  will  now,  was  his  will  ever- 
lastingly. 

All  the  sins  of  men  are  done  voluntarily,  wilfully,  maliciously,  and 
spontaneously ;  God  has  not  appointed  them  to  sin,  nor  predestinated 
them  to  sin,  God  forbid :  there  is  no  necessity  over  them  obliging 
them  to  sin,  they  sin  premeditatedly,  deliberately  and  voluntarily, 
God  has  let  them  alone  to  do  as  they  will  for  a  season,  but  he  knows 
their  thoughts  afar  off,  and  all  that  they  will  do  in  the  time  in  which 
he  has  given  power  to  wickedness  to  do  its  will.  He  has  foretold 
and  written  down  ages  before  they  are  done  the  very  deeds  that  they 
will  wickedly  do.  But  notwithstanding,  they  cannot  do  all  they 
would  ;  far  from  it !  they  cann6t  move  the  little  finger  till  God  lets 
them  loose  ;  they  cannot  bring  all  their  wicked  devices  to  pass ;  God 
has  appointed  and  determined  before,  and  knows  well  what  he  will 
let  them  do,  and  what  they  will  do ;  and  what  he  will  prevent  them 
from  doing ;  and  also  he  has  appointed,  that,  whatever  their  malice 
and  wickedness  shall  do,  shall  tend  to  accomplish  his  will  and  plea- 
sure :  and  thus,  as  the  Psalmist  says,  the  wicked  are  the  hand  of 
God.  God  might  have  prevented  all  this  wickedness  from  existing, 
by  not  suffering  the  wicked  to  exist ;  but  it  has  been  his  will  to  per- 
mit for  a  short  time  the  exhibition  on  this  earth  of  what  a  frightful 
thing  power  is  apart  from  (xod,  and  what  a  wretched  and  wicked 
creature  a  creature  is  out  of  God.  And  yet  all  the  events  of  this 
wicked  world  will  work  in  the  end  a  glorious  purpose,  and  God  will 
be  justly  glorified  in  all  things. 

The  law  of  (4od  makes  known  that  evil  is  exceedingly  evil,  and 
that  only  what  is  good  must  be  done ;  if  a  man  does  any  evil  what- 
ever he  is  a  transgressor  of  the  law,  and  is  condemned  ;  as  long  as 
he  is  alive  under  this  law  which  commands  to  do  good  and  no  evil, 
he  is  in  condemnation  if  he  ever  does  any  evil  whatever.  Therefore 
there  cannot  be  any  salvation  to  them  who  are  under  the  law,  for  it 
says  "  do  good  ;''''  they  do  not  do  good,  {no  miin  doeth  good,  no  not  one) 
and  therefore  this  law  condemns  them.    This  is  all  the  damnation  that 


INTRODUCTION. 


there  is  or  will  be,  viz.  the  condemnation  of  the  law ;  and  it  is  most 
awful  condemnation,  because  to  do  evil  is  most  awful.  A  person  who 
is  under  the  law  which  infallibly  condemns  all  who  are  under  it,  if  he 
talks  of  Grace,  and  redemption,  and  Christ,  talks  in  vain,  for  the 
law  cannot  be  broken,  Christ  will  not  take  away  one  jot  or  tittle  of  it. 
He  establishes  it,  he  does  not  destroy  it ;  wherever  it  is,  it  is  impos- 
sible it  can  fail ;  whoever  is  under  it,  is  under  a  curse ;  it  is  invio- 
lable, it  cannot  be  set  aside.  Christ  saves  his  people,  not  by  saving 
them  while  they  remain  under  this  law,  for  while  a  man  is  under  it 
he  cannot  be  free  from  condemnation ;  but  by  redeeming  them  from 
under  it,  taking  it  away  from  over  them,  he  delivers  them  from  con- 
demnation :  and  this  he  does,  not  by  violating  the  law,  for  that  can 
never  be,  but  by  putting  himself  under  it  instead  of  them,  taking  it 
oft'  them  upon  himself,  and  perfectly  fulfilling  it  for  them  and  in  their 
places.  He  fulfilling  it  all  for  them,  they  have  not  got  it  to  fulfil  ; 
thus  they  are  not  under  it,  it  is  fulfilled ;  it  has  no  demand  upon 
them,  for  whatever  demand  it  has  (and  that  demand  is  perfect 
Righteousness)  he  satisfies  it  for  them,  and  they  are  not  under  the 
law,  they  do  not  live  under  it,  they  "  are  dead  to  the  law  by  the  body 
of  Christ.^'  If  he  left  them  under  the  law,  and  having  to  do  good, 
he  would  not  then  save  them,  for  they  would  not  do  good,  and  they 
must  be  cursed  for  not  doing  it ;  they  must,  for  the  law  cannot  be 
broken ;  it  is  impossible  for  a  man  to  be  saved  who  is  under  the  law, 
for  he  has  got  to  do  good,  and  he  does  not  do  it.  Therefore  Christ 
came  to  redeem  his  people  from  under  the  law,  to  do  all  it  requires 
in  their  stead,  even  all  good,  that  is  perfect  Righteousness,  for  this  is 
all  that  the  law  requires,  and  he  has  done  all  this  for  them,  and  thus 
they  have  not  got  it  to  do,  they  have  not  got  Righteousness  to  do, 
they  are  not  under  the  law,  he  does  it  all  for  us,  because  we  cannot 
do  any  thing  of  it  at  all ;  he  takes  it  all  upon  himself,  and  thus  he  is 
as  the  Prophet  Jeremiah  spoke,  "  The  Lord  our  Righteousness." 
Blessed  are  they  who  receive  him,  who  thirst  after  this  Righteous- 
ness which  is  God's  Righteousness,  and  not  man's,  for  man  has  none  ; 
this  is  to  believe  in  his  name,  to  receive  Him  for  Righteousness,  and 
to  have  no  hope  in  any  other  works  or  righteousness  except  his  only. 
Herein  is  his  Salvation,  viz.  a  perfect  fulfilling  of  the  law,  for  there 
can  be  no  Salvation  without  perfectly  fulfilling  it :  He  does  this,  and 
the  law,  which  cannot  be  broken,  is  not  broken. 

God  has  chosen  his  people,  to  redeem  them  from  under  the  law, 
that  they  might  be  saved  in  Christ,  and  be  in  him,  and  become  dead 
to  the  law  by  him,  and  alive  to  God  in  him;  having  on  his  Righteous- 
ness, and  fulfilling  the  law  in  him,  that  is,  being  perfectly  righteous 
in  him.  All  are  by  nature  under  the  law,  children  of  wrath,  and 
none  can  remove  themselves  from  under  this  righteous  obligation  to 
do  good  and  to  do  no  evil.  But  God  removes  whom  he  will  from 
under  this  obligation  or  law,  by  giving  them  to  Christ  who  takes  it 
from  off"  them  by  completely  fulfilling  it  for  them,  undertaking  the 
whole  for  them,  and  for  ever  doing  all  it  requires  for  them,  so  that 
they  are  no  longer  under  it.  God  takes  whom  he  will  from  under 
this  law,  and  giving  ihem  to  Christ,  saves  them,  and  he  foreknew 
2 


10  INTKODUCTIOIV. 

them  all,  and  foreknowing  them,  he  predestinated  them  to  be  con- 
formed to  the  image  of  his  Son.  This  is  God's  election  of  Grace, 
having  mercy  on  whom  he  will,  and  choosing  them  before,  from 
everlasting. 

That  God  is  righteous  in  leaving  some  under  the  law,  to  be  saved 
if  they  will  do  good,  they  themselves  bear  witness  who  wickedly 
revile  the  Ever-living  God  because  of  this  truth  of  his  mercy  and 
grace.  They  do  not  wish  to  be  redeemed  from  under  the  law,  for 
they  wish  only  to  be  saved  under  the  condition  of  the  law,  viz.  if  they 
do  good ;  how  then  will  they  presume  to  revile  the  Majesty  of  God 
because  he  leaves  them  under  the  condition  which  they  love,  viz. 
that,  if  they  do  good,  that  is  fulfil  the  law,  they  shall  save  their 
souls  alive  l  God  is  pleased  to  leave  them  under  this  righteous  law 
and  just  condition,  and  they  will  be  judged  by  it,  and  if  they  have 
done  good,  they  cannot  lose  the  reward,  and  if  they  have  done  evil 
they  cannot  escape  the  condemnation  for  the  evil  they  have  done. 
They  love  death,  even  the  condemnation  of  the  law,  and  are  deter- 
mined not  to  be  saved  except  by  doing  some  good ;  they  vainly 
imagine  that  some  good  will  do,  instead  of  perfectly  fulfilling  the 
whole  law.  They  vainly  imagine  the  Grace  of  God  will  help  them 
to  do  some  good,  and  that  thus  they  will  be  saved.  The  rejection  of 
Christ  and  the  enmity  against  God  and  his  Righteousness,  consists  in 
not  being  willing  nor  desirous  to  be  taken  from  under  this  law,  and 
to  have  perfect  Righteousness  by  Jesus  Christ  without  it ;  and  how 
then  can  such  persons  find  fault  with  God  for  his  election  of  Grace, 
which  is  the  taking  some,  yea  many,  more  in  number  than  the  stars 
of  heaven,  from  under  this  law  1  None  are  left  under  this  condemn- 
ing law,  except  those  who  do  not  wish  or  who  would  not  wish  to  be 
redeemed  from  under  it,  they  are  left  under  the  law,  under  the  con- 
dition which  they  love,  viz.  that  if  they  do  good  they  shall  live  ;  this 
is  certain  condemnation,  and  the  condemnation  of  the  law  has  been 
ordained  from  everlasting  for  all  who  do  evil,  and  all  evil  doers  are 
appointed  from  everlasting  to  this  condemnation,  which  is  for  what 
they  have  done  or  shall  do,  and  only  according  to  what  they  do.  To 
be  made  willing  to  be  redeemed  from  under  this  law,  and  to  put  on 
the  righteousness  of  God,  even  perfect  Righteousness  (which  is  what 
the  law  requires)  is  to  believe  in  Christ  who  is  the  Righteousness  of 
God,  it  is  to  be  elect  of  God  and  redeemed  from  under  the  law. 
When  any  one  believes  in  the  name  of  the  Son  of  God,  then  he  has 
the  Righteousness  of  God,  Jesus  Christ  is  in  him,  and  all  the  power 
and  beauty  and  glory  and  righteousness  of  God  is  upon  him,  and  if  it 
be  not  so,  he  is  a  reprobate  (2  Corinths.  Ch.  xiii.  v.  5,)  that  is,  he 
does  not  please  God,  he  is  not  approved  of  God.  This  is  Reproba- 
tion and  there  is  no  other  kind  of  reprobation,  and  consequently  many 
of  God's  elect,  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy,  and  whom  he  will 
make  willing  and  obedient,  are  reprobates,  and  will  be  reprobates 
and  enemies  to  God  till  it  shall  please  him  to  call  them  by  his  Grace 
and  give  them  repentance  unto  life. 


THE    GOSPEL    OF    GOD. 


CHAPTER  I. 

The  Faith  once  delivered  to  the  Saints. 

The  Law  says  "  Do,  and  thou,  (thou  thyself)  shalt  save  thy  soul 
alive."  God,  in  the  glad  tidings  of  the  Gospel,  says,  "  Believe  and 
thou  shalt  be  saved.''''  These  words  contain  in  sum  and  substance  all 
the  Gospel  of  God.  Believe  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  thou  shalt  not  save  thyself,  but  thou  shalt  be  saved.  Now  his 
name  is  "  The  Lord  our  Righteousness,"  and  to  believe  in  his  Name, 
is  to  look  to  him  for  Righteousness,  and  only  to  him  ;  it  is  to  receive 
him  as  our  Righteousness,  to  do  nothing,  but  only  believe  in  him. 
Therefore,  for  a  sinner  to  be  saved,  to  live  and  to  have  Righteous- 
ness, he  has  nothing  whatever  to  do,  but  only  to  believe,  and  God 
will  do  all  for  him,  God  will  be  his  Righteousness,  God  will  save 
him  ! 

Righteousness  is  doing  good ;  there  is  no  other  Righteousness : 
he  who  tries  to  do  good  tries  to  obtain  Righteousness  by  the  works 
of  the  Law ;  but  he  who  does  nothing,  but  believes  in  Jesus  Christ, 
he  receives  in  Him  the  gift  of  Righteousness  without  his  doing  any 
thing  at  all ;  he  is  made  perfectly  righteous,  for  the  Righteousness 
of  God  in  Jesus  Christ  is  unto  him  and  upon  him,  and  he  is  made 
perfectly  righteous  without  doing  any  thing.  He  who  tries  to  do 
good,  that  is  to  obey  the  law,  he  does  not  do  good  nor  obey  the  law; 
he  a  sinner  cannot,  it  is  impossible  to  a  sinner :  if  he  could  do  good 
he  is  no  sinner,  and  if  he  could  get  Righteousness  by  trying  to  do 
good  Christ  is  dead  in  vain.  (Gal.  ii.  v.  21).  Therefore  he  who  tries 
and  works  hard  to  get  Righteousness  cannot  get  it,  but  he  who  does 
not  try  nor  work  at  all,  but  only  believes  in  the  name  of  the  Son  of 
God,  he  obtains  the  perfect  Righteousness  of  God,  which  is  (in  favour 
and  mercy  alone)  given  and  imputed  unto  him.  Therefore  he  who 
believeth  in  Christ,  who  receives  him  for  his  Righteousness,  has 
nothing  whatever  to  do,  all  is  done  for  him,  and  all  Righteousness  is 
given  to  him  in  Christ. 

Jesus  Christ  is  the  only  man  who  doeth  good,  and  he  is  not  a  man 
after  the  flesh,  he  is  not  a  son  of  Adam,  he  is  the  Son  of  God  ;  he  is 
the  only  individual  who  doeth  good,  and  therefore  he  is  called  the 
Holy  One,  the  Just  One,  the  Righteous  Man,  or  the  Man  of  Righte- 
ousness. And  man  who  only  doeth  evil,  is  called  the  wicked  one, 
the  man  of  sin,  or  sinful  man,  the  beast,  the  flesh. 


12  THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD. 

There  is  and  can  be  no  Righteousness  but  in  Christ.,  and  they  who 
gladly  receive  him,  who  look  to  him  and  trust  to  his  Righteousness, 
(that  is,  who  believe  in  his  name)  they  receive  his  Righteousness  and 
want  none  other  at  all,  they  are  perfect  in  him,  and  abiding  in  him, 
(that  is,  continuing  to  believe  and  only  to  look  to  him)  they  have  no 
good  to  do,  no  Righteousness  to  do,  they  have  nothing  whatever  to 
do,  they  are  saved  everlastingly  and  for  ever  without  doing  any  thing. 
They  are  saved ;  it  is  the  work  of  God ;  they  do  not  save  them- 
selves ;  they  have  nothing  to  do. 

There  is  no  blessing  and  no  peace  but  in  Righteousness,  in  doing 
good,  and  only  doing  good;  and  all  Righteousness  is  comprehended 
in  fulfilling  perfectly  all  the  law  of  God ;  so  that  unless  a  man  does 
really  fulfil  this  righteous  law,  he  is  inevitably  cursed  and  wretched. 
Now  herein  is  the  Grace  and  Salvation  of  God,  here  are  glad  tidings, 
viz.  that  Jesus  Christ  has  entirely  taken  away  from  them  that  be- 
lieve, or  look  to  him,  and  throw  themselves  upon  him  for  Righteous- 
ness, all  the  obligation  and  necessity  of  obtaining  blessing  and  hap- 
piness and  peace  by  doing  good  (a  thing  they  will  not  and  cannot  do) 
and  he  gives  them  all  Righteousness  and  fulfils  all  the  Righteous- 
ness of  the  law  instead  of  them,  so  that  they  have  nothing  to  do,  no, 
nothing  whatever :  he  requires  nothing  of  them,  he  is  their  perfect 
Saviour,  and  leaves  nothing  of  this  salvation  in  their  hands,  that  is  to 
say.  He  is  the  Christ  in  very  deed  and  truth  ;  for  this  is  what  the 
Christ  means,  viz.  the  King,  the  Deliverer,  the  Saviour,  the  Strength, 
the  Righteousness  of  his  people  !  All  their  part  in  this  Salvation  is, 
not  to  do  any  thing  but  to  believe ;  simply  to  take  it !  (Rev.  xxii.  17) 
only  to  receive  it !  and  have  it !  to  stand  still,  to  do  nothing,  to  be- 
hold the  Salvation  of  God,  how  he,  He  himself  will  save  them ;  and 
this  is  believing.  All  good  (that  is  Righteousness)  that  was  to  be 
done,  that  is  to  be  done,  and  that  ought  for  the  future  to  be  done, 
they  have  not  got  to  do  it  who  only  believe ;  Christ  Jesus  hath  done 
it,  and  does  it,  and  will  do  it,  for  them  who  receive  him  to  do  it,  that 
is  to  be  their  Righteousness !  who  only  believe,  and  cease  from  all 
their  own  works,  doing  nothing :  for  he  does  all  for  them,  he  works 
all  good  and  Righteousness  for  them,  they  have  nothing  whatever  to 
do  !  This  is  good  news  for  the  poor  and  needy,  who  are  heavy 
laden  with  their  own  iniquities,  and  thirst  after  the  true  Righteous- 
ness ;  these  are  glad  tidings  indeed  for  the  poor  and  for  the  ungodly, 
and  thus  the  Gospel  truly  deserves  its  name  '■'■good  news ;''^  and  so 
most  certainly  and  assuredly  every  word  of  God  shall  be  found  to  be 
not  in  vain,  but  to  mean  really  what  it  says,  and  even  to  surpass  and 
be  over  and  above  the  good  which  it  says. 

This  is  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints,  viz.  "  Believe,"  not 
"  do,"  leave  that  to  Christ,  he  came  on  purpose  to  "<^o."  "  Lo  !  I 
come,  to  do  thy  will,  O  God  /"  and  to  do  all  for  them  that  trust  to 
him.  Yea  verily  this  is  the  truth  of  the  living  God.  And  surely  as 
the  Lord  (Jod  liveth  who  made  heaven  and  all  that  therein  is,  and 
the  Earth  and  all  that  is  therein,  and  the  Sea  and  all  that  is  therein, 
so  surely  will  (iod  speedily  put  an  end  to  the  wicked  religion  of  this 
wicked  generation,  to  the  abomination  of  lies   and  human  works 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD.  13 

which  ungodly  men  preach  and  dare  to  affirm  that  such  Ues  are  the 
Gospel  of  God.  This  Time  of  falsehood  and  abomination  which  has 
its  fixed  and  limited  period  shall  very  soon  be  no  longer,  but  (and  it 
is  now  close  at  hand)  when  the  voice  of  the  seventh  angel  shall 
begin  to  sound,  the  mystery  of  God  will  be  finished,  as  God  hath 
plainly  revealed  and  declared  to  his  servants  the  prophets. 


CHAPTER  II. 

There  never  has  been  any  other  Faith,  than  this  Faith  once  delivered 
to  the  Saints,  arid  it  has  been  the  same  in  all  ages. 

He  who  desires  to  be  saved  from  unrighteousness  and  death,  has 
not  to  do,  but  only  to  believe ;  he  himself  has  nothing  to  do,  he  must 
do  nothing;  his  strength  is  to  sit  still  (Is.  ch.  xxx.  v.  7);  he  must 
believe  only ;  he  must  stand  still  and  wait  upon  God,  and  look  not  to 
himself  or  his  own  exertions  to  do  good,  but  to  Christ  only  for  his 
Righteousness  only,  and  to  him  only  as  the  only  doer  of  Good  :  for  if 
he  himself  could  do  good,  Christ  is  dead  in  vain.  This  is  the  faith 
once  delivered  to  the  saints,  and  there  never  has  been  any  other  kind 
of  faith,  and  never  will  be  ;  this  was  the  faith  of  the  saints  of  old. 

When  Pharaoh  and  his  host  pursued  Israel  to  the  Red  Sea,  how 
did  the  people  escape  from  and  vanquish  this  powerful  and  formidable 
host  1  Not  by  doing  something,  but  by  doing  nothing,  and  trusting 
in  God  to  deliver,  and  leaving  it  to  God  to  do  all  this  work  and  sal- 
vation for  them.  Therefore  Moses  preached  unto  them  to  believe, 
only  to  believe,  and  not  to  work,  but  to  trust  to  God  for  that ;  saying 
unto  them  "  stand  still,  and  behold  the  salvation  of  God.^'' 

The  faith  of  God's  elect  is  also  shown  for  our  instruction  in  the 
example  of  Daniel,  when  he  was  cast  in  the  den  of  lions ;  he  did 
nothing ;  he  sat  still  and  trusted  in  God,  and  God  himself  shut  the 
mouths  of  the  lions ;  but  if  he  had  begun  to  do,  if  he  had  tried  to 
hold  their  mouths  and  stop  them,  it  would  have  been  evident  that  he 
did  not  entirely  trust  in  God,  (that  is,  believe,)  and  then  certainly  he 
would  have  experienced  no  salvation,  God  would  have  left  him  to  his 
own  power,  and  left  them  to  devour  him.  So  he  who  believeth  in 
God  must  sit  still  and  do  nothing,  but  let  God  be  his  Saviour,  and 
trust  to  him  to  deliver,  and  then  verily  he  will  deliver !  But  if  he 
himself  works  and  thinks  that  he  can  do  good,  and  conquer  Satan  and 
his  lusts,  and  tries  to  do  so,  he  does  not  believe  in  God,  he  trusts  to 
an  arm  of  flesh ;  he  takes  upon  himself  the  very  work  of  Christ  for 
which  he  was  expressly  manifested  (1  John,  ch.  iii.  v.  S)  and  in 
so  doing  he  does  not  believe  in  Christ,  nor  look  to  him  alone  for 
Righteousness  and  good-doing ;  he  does  not  put  confidence  in  God, 
but  likens  himself  to  God  and  trusts  in  himself,  and  God  will  leave 
him  to  himself  to  save  himself  and  to  perish  in  his  own  destruc- 
tions. 

To  do  nothing,  but  to  believe  in  the  Name  of  the  Son  of  God,  to 
trust  solely  to  him  to  do  all  good  and  all  Righteousness  for  us,  this 
only  is  honouring  God,  this  only  is  worshipping  God  !  looking  and 


14  THE  GOSPEL  OP  fiOI). 

trusting  to  him  only  as  our  Righteousness,  is  an  acknowledgment 
that  God  he  is  God,  and  a  confession  in  very  deed  that  we  are 
nothing:  it  is  believing  that  he  is  indeed  the  Christ,  the  Saviour, 
that  he  can  do  all,  having  all  power,  and  that  he  will  do  all  for  us, 
being  good  and  gracious ;  otherwise  wo  neither  believe  that  he  has 
Power,  nor  that  he  is  good.  The  sacrifice  of  the  wicked,  says  Solo- 
mon, is  an  abomination  to  God,  and  they  are  wicked  who  look  to 
themselves  to  do  good.  Our  working,  our  doing,  our  piety  (what- 
ever we  may  think  of  it)  is  a  great  abomination  to  God,  for  we  are 
very  evil.  To  offer  up  to  God  the  sacrifice,  that  is  the  doing  and 
performances  of  sinful  man  who  is  wicked  flesh,  an  evil  body,  is  an 
abomination;  it  is  THE  ABOMINATION.  This  abomination  of 
human  righteousness  and  the  deeds  of  the  human  beast,  whose  sins  are 
as  scarlet,  has  been  offered  up  during  1260  years  of  the  Abomination 
which  has  made  desolate ;  during  all  which  Time  the  daily  Sacrifice 
has  been  taken  away.  The  sacrifice  of  Christ  (this  is  the  daily 
sacrifice  by  faith)  is  that  of  a  lamb  without  spot  or  blemish  ;  in  him 
and  only  in  him  God  is  well  pleased  :  to  believe  in  him  is  to  offer  up 
spiritual  sacrifices  holy  and  acceptable  to  God  ;  but,  to  look  to  man 
for  any  good,  to  think  to  please  God  by  our  deeds  and  piety  and 
obedience,  is  to  offer  up  the  abomination  ;  it  is  the  sacrifice  of  swine's 
flesh  as  the  prophet  Isaiah  shows,  and  not  of  the  Lamb.  And  such  is 
all  the  religion  and  piety,  such  is  all  the  Christianity  of  this  day;  it 
is  all  a  wicked  a  beastly  abomination  which  God  abhors ;  a  sacrifice 
of  swine's  flesh,  the  worship  of  a  beast,  and  not  of  God ;  it  is  faith 
and  confidence  and  trust  in  the  power  and  virtue  of  a  beast,  not  faith 
in  God! 

This  faith  in  man,  this  looking  to  man  to  do  good,  never  was  and 
never  will  be  the  faith  of  God's  people  :  they  did  nothing,  they  stood 
still  and  trusted  to  God.  This  was  the  faith  of  our  fathers,  even  of 
Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob :  so  David  testifies,  "  Oi/r  Fathers  trusted 
in  Thee  r  What  did  they  do?  They  trusted,  only  trusted,  they 
stood  still  and  believed  ;  "  and  Thou  didst  deUrer  them,''''  that  is  what 
God  did,  that  was  his  work.  They  did  nothing,  but  they  looked  to 
God,  and  God  did  every  thing  for  them,  he  it  was  who  delivered 
them ! 

Let  no  one  dare  to  pervert  God's  word :  they  did  not  partly  trust 
and  partly  work,  and  God  do  the  remaining  part  of  the  work :  they 
trusted,  they  only  trusted,  they  altogether  trusted  to  God  (this  is 
faith)  and  God  did  deliver,  wholly  and  altogether,  by  himself  and 
unassisted  (and  this  is  salvation  !)  Thus  only  God  is  believed  and 
honoured  :  when  we  believe  that  he  indeed  is  quite  able,  and  wants 
no  help  from  man,  then  only  we  believe  he  is  the  Mighty  (iod  and 
has  all  power  ;  and  when  we  believe  that  he  is  really  and  of  a  truth 
willing  to  undertake  so  much  (groat  and  wonderful  as  it  is,  but  not 
too  wonderful  for  him)  then  and  tiion  only  we  believe  that  what  he 
says  is  true,  that  he  is  good  indeed  !  that  he  loves  us!  and  that  it  is 
indeed  a  reality,  that  he  is  not  only  God,  and  almighty,  but  our  God, 
and  merciful,  and  gracious. 

This  was  the  faith  of  King  Jehoshaphat,  and  the  prophets  of  (iod 


THK  GOSPEL  OF  GOD.  15 

who  thus  declared  it :  "  Tims  saith  the  Lord  unto  you.  Be  not  afraid 
nor  dismayed  by  reason  of  this  great  multitude  ;  for  the  battle  is  not 
yours,  but  God's  /"  "  Ye  shall  not  need  to  fight  in  this  battle  :  set 
yourselves;  stand  ye  still;  and  see  the  Salvation  of  the  Lord  with 
you.  O  Judah  and  Jerusalem.''''    (2  Chr.  xx.  v.  15,  17). 

This  was  the  faith  of  Joshua  and  the  people  with  him :  they  did 
not  batter  against  the  walls  of  Jericho :  they  did  not  touch  them ; 
they  left  the  work  to  God,  and  God  made  them  to  fall  down  when 
nobody  touched  them ;  God  did  the  work  for  them,  they  did  nothing 
of  it,  they  only  trusted  to  God. 

God  shows  unto  us  by  these  things,  that  when  his  people  believe 
in  him,  he  worketh  all  for  them,  even  in  small  things,  such  as  bat- 
tles ;  much  more  in  greater  and  more  difficult  things,  such  as  the 
salvation  of  the  soul ;  they  have  nothing  to  do,  the  battle  is  not 
theirs  but  God's. 

The  Jews  of  old  (that  is  the  real  Jews,  for  they  were  not  all  Jews 
who  were  so  outwardly)  were  not  guilty  of  the  great  abomination  of 
drawing  nigh  to  God  in  Righteousness  of  their  own  doing,  until  that 
wicked  and  self-righteous  generation  arose,  which  now  is,  and  is  not 
yet  passed  away.  (Matt.  24,  ult.)  The  Jews  looked  to  the  blood  of 
the  sin  offering  for  sanctification,  and  not  to  their  own  righteous  or 
good  doings.  They  entered  into  the  sanctuary  with  sacrifice,  and 
received  the  blessing  from  the  High  Priest  (the  Anointed  One)  after 
the  sacrifice ;  they  were  sanctified  by  the  spi'inkling  of  the  blood, 
and  by  laying  their  hands  upon,  that  is  by  laying  hold  of  the  sacri- 
fice, thus  receiving  Christ ;  and  so  they  were  sanctified  by  doing 
nothing  but  receiving  the  sprinkling  of  the  blood.  They  never  drew 
nigh  unto  God  or  entered  his  temple  but  with  sin  offerings ;  they 
had  not  an  idea  of  acceptance  with  him  but  by  blood ;  until  that  evil 
generation  arose  which  taught  that  God  could  be  approached  with 
the  works  of  man ;  that  if  a  mnn  did  good,  that  is,  in  reality,  if  he 
made  himself  righteous,  by  deeds  and  observances  of  the  law,  then 
he  was  accepted  of  God,  then  they  pleased  God  !  This  they  thought 
to  be  a  great  and  commendable  zeal  for  the  law  of  God  and  highly 
pleasing  to  him;  they  knew  not  that  it  was  abomination  to  God. 
(Luke  xvi.  v.  15).  Thus  they  set  aside  the  work  and  oflbring  and 
bloodshedding  of  the  High  Priest,  (that  is  the  Christ,)  and  exalted  and 
set  up  the  righteousness,  the  duties,  the  observances,  the  services, 
the  prayers  of  evil  and  wicked  man,  as  an  offering  to  God,  in  place 
of  the  Righteousness  and  oflering  of  the  lamb,  the  Christ :  they 
offered  their  own  fleshly  works,  that  is  swine's  flesh,  instead  of  the 
work  of  Christ,  that  is  the  Lamb ;  they  would  do  something,  and 
would  not  be  righteous  only  and  completely  in  the  blood  and 
Righteousness  of  the  Lamb  of  God.  Before  this  generation  arose, 
the  hope  of  Israel  was  in  the  Messiah,  the  Strength  and  Rock  of 
Israel,  the  Righteousness  of  God,  who  was  to  come  ;  who  did  come  ; 
and  who  will  shortly  again  come  in  power  and  great  glory ! 

Thus  in  former  days,  the  saints  of  God  did  not  obtain  Righteous- 
ness, that  is  did  not  do  good  by  doing,  but  by  believing,  and  that  is 
doing  nothing :  there  was  no  Righteousness  to  man,  and  no  accept- 


16  THE  GOSPEL  OF  OOD. 

ance  with  God,  and  no  sanctification  by  doing  any  thing,  but  by  be- 
lieving only,  by  only  receiving  Christ  the  Righteousness  of  God, 
who  was  hoped  in ;  who  was  waited  for ;  who  was  longed  for ;  who 
was  seen  afar  oft";  and  who  was  set  before  them  by  the  continual 
and  daily  sacrifice  and  shedding  of  blood.  They  all  of  them  had  not 
one  jot  or  tittle  of  Righteousness  before  God,  except  the  Rigiiteous- 
ness  of  God,  which  is  Christ,  the  Just  One,  who  alone  doeth  the  will 
of  God.  David  says  "  /  will  make  mention  of  thy  Righteousness, 
even  of  thine  only!''''  and  he  says  that  he  would  go  in  no  strength  but 
in  that  of  the  Lord  God. 

And  all  the  good  which  the  saints  of  old  ever  did,  it  was  not  they 
who  did  it;  they  did  nothing  but  only  believed  in  God,  and  then 
(they  only  believing)  it  was  the  Spirit  of  Christ  which  was  in  them, 
which  did  the  works;  they  believed,  and  God  himself  '■'•did  all 
things  for  them,^''  (Psalms  ;)  they  had  nothing  to  do.  This  is  the  faith 
of  God's  elect,  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  Saints.  For  4U  months, 
that  is  1260  years,  false  and  harlot  churches  have  prevailed,  and  this 
faith  has  not  been  known  among  them,  they  have  sacrificed  the  abo- 
mination, the  offering  of  the  works  and  piety  of  the  fledh ;  but  in  all 
this  period,  God's  people  though  they  have  all  been  overcome  by 
the  beast  and  joined  with  these  false  churches,  have  only  been  saved 
by  this  faith,  only  by  Christ  and  his  works  and  his  deeds,  for  all 
other  deeds  but  his,  be  they  ever  so  highly  esteemed  among  men, 
are  ABOMINATION  before  God. 


CHAPTER  III. 

The  Christianity  of  this  day  is  no  more  Christianity  than  the  worship 
of  Juggernaut. 

It  appears  shocking  to  wicked  flesh,  to  earthy  men,  the  men  of 
the  Earth,  to  preach  Christ,  that  is,  to  preach  the  ))ower  of  God 
only,  and  not  of  evil  man ;  to  preach  "  believe,^''  that  is,  do  nothing. 
It  is  an  offence  and  a  stumbling  block.  For  fleshly  man  vainly  and 
wickedly  imagines  that  if  God  is  to  do  all,  and  man  nothing,  then 
assuredly  nothing  will  be  done  !  and  they  preach  so,  and  tliink  it 
great  piety !  Such  a  good  opinion  evil  men  have  of  themselves,  and 
such  a  bad  opinion  of  God  !  They  think  it  strange  that  it  should  be 
absolutely  necessary  for  sinful  man  to  cease  from  all  his  doings, 
and  they  dream  that  man  will  really  do  some  good  himself,  and 
that  God  will  not  do  any  without  him!  nay  that  it  cannot  be  done 
without  him  !  thus  they  believe  that  God  is  not  God  unless  man 
exerts  himself  a  little !  that  God  has  neither  goodness  nor  Grace 
nor  Power  unless  man  first  exerts  himself  a  little !  Yea  !  only  a 
little  !  grant  but  a  little  !  let  him  have  only  a  little  to  do,  that  God 
may  not  be  God  !  This  is  precisely  what  Satan  wishes,  that  he 
may  drag  men  in  to  partake  of  his  own  condemnation ;  and  to  this 
point  he  has  now  at  last  brought  the  "  Earth"  and  taught  them  to 
call  it  "  Piety  /"  Thus  they  believe  that  no  good  can  be  done  with- 
out the  power  of  man :  they  will  not  believe  in  God,  they  will  not 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD.  17 

believe  in  the  Power  of  God,  that  is  in  Christ.  They  believe  in  the 
power  of  man ;  this  is  their  God,  this  wicked  one,  man  of  sin,  Ini- 
quity, a  beast,  whose  sins  are  as  scarlet,  twice  dyed.  They  do  not 
believe  in  Christ,  that  all  power  in  heaven  and  in  earth  is  given  to 
him ;  that  he  has  only  to  speak  the  word,  and  Satan  sin  and  death 
and  every  enemy  vanish  !  that  he,  as  man,  hath  gotten  the  victory 
by  himself  alone  and  no  one  with  him,  for  us  men,  even  all  of  us  who 
rejoice  to  receive  his  work,  and  has  already  overcome  all,  and  gives 
his  victory  to  his  people  who  believe  in  his  name :  they  will  not 
believe  in  him,  but  they  believe  that  the  filthy  sinner  himself  can 
conquer ;  they  urge  him  to  try,  to  labour,  to  exert  himself,  to  con- 
quer, to  subdue,  to  be  Christ  and  God !  They  will  not  believe  that 
the  Son  of  God,  with  his  own  right  hand  and  his  holy  arm  hath  got- 
ten himself  (yea,  he  himself  and  he  alone)  the  victory  !  In  a  word, 
they  do  not  believe  in  God ;  to  them,  God  is  not  God ! 

They  preach  that  man  even  sinful  man  is  enabled  to  do  good  "  hy 
the  Grace  of  God  through  Jesus  Christ.''''  This  their  doctrine  is  a 
lie,  and  cometh  from  the  father  of  lies ;  it  is  one  of  the  strong  delu- 
sions  (2  Thess.  chap.  ii.  v.  11).  Man  will  not  do  good  with  any 
help  or  grace  whatever ;  even  the  grace  of  God  that  is,  his  favour 
will  never  lead  him  to  do  good.  "  Let  favour  (that  is  Grace)  be 
showed  to  the  wicked  yet  will  he  not  learn  righteousness ;  in  the  land 
of  uprightness  will  he  deal  unjustly,  and  will  not  behold  the  majesty 
of  the  Lord''''  (Is.  xxvi.  v.  10).  To  say  that  evil  man  does  good  with 
help  or  grace  is  to  make  God  a  liar ;  for  if  it  be  so,  the  Scripture  is 
not  true,  which  positively  says  a  corrupt  tree  cannot  bring  forth  any 
good  fruit  at  all,  and  which  also  declares  that  man  does  not  do  any 
good  at  all  (Psalms).  God  does  not  help  Wickedness  to  do  good : 
man  that  is  born  of  Adam  who  is  also  called  the  flesh,  is  Iniquity, 
and  Christ  hath  no  part  or  lot  with  this  old  man,  he  hath  put  this 
beast  to  death  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree,  and  they  who  believe  are 
put  to  death  with  him. 

They  who  teach  this  doctrine  of  the  devil,  make  Christ  the  minis- 
ter, that  is  the  servant  of  sin,  even  of  sinful  man.  They  make  him 
a  servant  and  satellite  to  move  and  drag  along  this  man  of  sin,  to 
help  him  to  stir  himself  and  do  good,  and  when  they  imagine  they 
succeed  in  making  the  beast  move,  then  the  servant,  the  minister, 
the  cord  of  vanity,  is  forgotten  in  the  shouts  of  triumph  they  raise 
when  they  see  their  God  move !  If  Righteousness  come  by  the 
law,  Christ  is  dead  in  vain  (Galatians) ;  his  death,  his  work  is  a 
vanity ;  and  they  make  Christ  a  vanity,  a  helping  instrument  or 
cord,  a  mere  cart  rope,  to  drag  along  the  cart  of  Iniquity,  to  make 
this  filthy  and  obscene  beast  to  move  or  "  do  good  !"  When  they 
make  him  move  and  publish  triumphantly  in  their  records  of  piety 
the  little  histories  of  his  pious  movements,  of  his  benevolent  enter- 
prises, of  his  solemn  seriousness,  and  pious  feelings,  they  even  forget 
to  mention  the  despised  rope  with  which  they  think  they  move  him ; 
and  yet  they  dare  to  talk  of  the  Grace  of  God  ! !  They  profess  to 
believe  that  the  beast  only  moves,  that  is  only  does  good,  by  the 
Grace  of  God ;  they  are  so  very  orthodox  they  would  not  ha,ve  it 
3 


18  THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD. 

thought  that  they  believed  he  moved  vv'ithout  the  rope,  and  thus  they 
imagine  that  no  one  can  say  that  they  do  not  trust  entirely,  oh  yes, 
entirely,  in  the  Grace  of  God,  and  hope  to  be  saved  "  through  Jesvs 
Christ,  our  Lord,''''  nay,  they  are  sometimes  earnest  in  declaring  that 
they  are  so  evil,  they  can  do  nothing  without  the  grace  of  God ; 
meaning  however,  that  though  the  beast  cannot  move  at  all  without 
the  rope,  yet  it  moves  extremely  well  with  such  a  rope,  with  such  a 
minister  and  satellite  to  drag  it !  and  thus  they  save  their  own  good 
opinion,  and  count  themselves  believers,  holding  fast  to  lies  and  yet 
anxious  to  be  thought  valiant  for  the  truth  !  Ages  ago  God  pointed 
out  their  wickedness  and  hypocrisy,  saying,  "  Woe  unto  them  that 
draw  Iniquity,  that  is  sinful  man,  w'lth  cords  of  vanity,  and  sin  as  it 
were  with  a  cart-rope.''''    (Isaiah,  ch.  v.  IB). 

This  vile  and  filthy  beast,  this  wicked  one,  is  the  God  which  the 
Earth  (the  religious  world)  now  worships,  and  has  in  this  day  exalted 
above  Him  whom  yet  they  deceitfully  call  God  !  (2  Thess.  ch.  ii.) 
This  beast  they  set  up  in  the  chariot  of  their  pride,  and  exert  them- 
selves to  the  utmost  to  make  him  move.  This  Beast  is  sinful  man, 
or  the  man  of  sin,  the  wicked  one ;  he  is  now  revealed,  triumphing 
for  a  season,  and  he  hath  overcome  and  slain  the  two  witnesses  of 
God,  by  which  God  testified  to  the  world  of  Righteousness  and 
Judgment,  (viz.  the  Law  and  the  Gospel)  (Rev.  xi.)  both  these  wit- 
nesses are  now  slain  by  the  beast,  the  exalted  beast,  and  their  dead 
bodies  (the  dead  letter  of  them,  that  is,  the  Bible)  are  paraded  about 
not  buried  (which  were  far  better),  but  made  use  of  for  a  brag  and 
a  vain  glory.  The  exaltation  of  the  beast  and  the  dragging  him 
along  "  by  the  Grace  of  God  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,"  as 
they  blasphemously  say,  is  spiritual  Wickedness;  it  is  the  same 
scene  of  wickedness  acted  spiritually  and  deceitfully,  which  is  acted 
corporeally  and  openly  among  other  deluded  victims  of  Satan, 
proving  the  unity  of  Satan's  kingdom  in  spite  of  the  divisions  and 
disputes  among  his  servants !  showing  that  the  world  is  only  one 
same  scene  of  the  same  wickedness  in  different  shapes  and  disguises. 
The  Christianity  of  this  last  day  is  the  vilest  kind  of  Idolatry.  To 
be  an  idolater,  is  to  put  trust  not  in  God,  but  in  that  which  is  no 
God  and  cannot  save.  They  put  trust  in  their  feelings,  in  their 
prayings,  in  belonging  to  a  confederacy,  and  they  are  idolaters,  for 
there  is  no  trust  in  God  in  all  this ;  this  is  not  God  !  They  do  evil, 
their  thoughts  are  unclean,  and  polluted,  their  imaginations  are  vile 
and  earthly,  and  yet  they  think  that  this  beast,  which  they  know  is 
so  vile  and  serves  such  vile  purposes,  will  yet  do  good  and  save  !  for 
to  do  good  is  real  salvation.  They  themselves  do  that  which  is 
wicked  in  thoughts  and  deeds,  and  the  residue  of  themselves  they 
make  a  God  and  cry  out  to  it  "  do  good,"  that  is  save  us !  be  pious, 
be  righteous,  save  us!  But  it  is  a  God  which  cannot  save!  This 
idolatry  is  far  worse  than  the  idolatry  of  graven  images  ;  for  though 
the  wood  of  a  graven  image  may  have  been  used  for  roasting  roast, 
and  kindling  a  fire  (Isaiah)  yet  it  hath  not  committed  sin,  fiUhy  sin! 
But  their  God  is  a  beast,  and  doetli  all  manner  of  evil !  And  this  is 
the  worship  of  this  day,  "  they  ivorsh'ip  devils  and  not  God ;"   it  is 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD.  19 

idolatry,  it  is  calling  upon  the  man  of  sin  to  "  do  good"  and  save 
himself.  Therefore  if  the  worship  of  Juggernaut  is  bad,  this  wor- 
ship is  worse ;  and  so  it  is  that  the  Christianity  of  this  last  day  is  no 
more  Christianity  than  the  worship  of  Juggernaut.  Such  is  the 
worship  of  all  names  and  sects  without  any  exception  whatsoever; 
for  though  they  have  questions  among  themselves  about  doctrines, 
and  quarrel  and  devour  one  another,  they  all  agree  in  this  one  thing, 
viz.  denying  Christ,  saying  to  filthy  man  "  do  good"  "  be  pious," 
"  be  religious"  "  be  godly,"  that  is,  setting  up  the  man  of  sin  as  a 
God  able  to  do  good,  and  a  Saviour  able  to  save.  They  all  agree  in 
performing  the  part  of  Judas  the  son  of  perdition,  for  they  sell 
Christ  to  the  wicked,  saying,  "  if  you  do  a  little  good,  if  you  pray,  if 
you  only  pay  the  money  of  your  piety  and  prayers,  then  you  shall 
be  saved,  that  is  you  shall  have  Christ !"  Thus  the  man  of  sin  (sinful 
man)  the  son  of  perdition,  is  revealed  (selling  Christ  and  salvation 
for  paltry  considerations :)  who  saith  that  he  is  God,  and  exalts  him- 
self above  all  that  is  called  God,  for  notwithstanding  such  wicked- 
ness they  yet  call  the  Lord,  God !  The  Spirit  spoke  expressly  that 
thus  it  would  be  in  the  last  days  (2  Thess.  ch.  ii.)  But  now  the  time 
is  come  when  this  time  of  the  beast  shall  be  no  longer,  and  as  the 
Lord  liveth  who  made  heaven  and  all  that  is  therein  (yea  the  angels 
of  heaven  are  only  what  they  are  by  his  choice  and  pleasure)  and  the 
earth  and  all  that  is  therein  (yea,  it  is  a  lie  that  proud  and  wicked 
man  can  make  himself  a  child  of  God  and  be  saved  if  he  pleases) 
and  the  sea  and  all  that  therein  is  (yea,  they  are  all  the  work  of 
God  only :  none  are  Creators  but  He)  this  TIME  shall  be  no  longer, 
but  when  the  seventh  angel  sounds,  the  Mystery  of  God  will  be 
finished,  the  power  of  the  wicked  shall  be  ended,  and  God  will  take 
to  himself  his  great  power  ! 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Justification  by  faith ;  that  is,  being  made  righteous  by  believing 

only. 

The  Scripture  says,  "  a  man  is  justified  by  faith,  without  the  deeds 
of  the  law,^''  (Rms.  iii.  v.  28.)  That  is,  he  obtains  Righteousness, 
he  is  made  perfectly  righteous,  by  believing  only,  without  doing  any 
good  whatever,  without  doing  any  thing  at  all.  The  same  is  said  in 
the  words  "  being  justified  freely,  that  is  gratuitously,  by  his  Grace.''"' 
Now  to  be  justified  freely,  gratuitously,  or  for  nothing,  is  to  be  jus- 
tified without  doing  any  thing  and  without  having  any  thing  to  do,  or 
else  it  is  not  gratuitous.  A  man  cannot  be  righteous  or  justified  by 
any  thing  he  does ;  let  him  appear  to  do  all  good  he  is  not  righteous 
before  God ;  the  law  requires  him  to  do  all  good  actions,  he  must  do 
them,  it  is  a  debt  due  to  the  law ;  but,  even  if  he  does  them  all,  the 
Scripture  declares  "  By  the  deeds  of  the  law  shall  nofiesh  be  justified 
i?i  his  sight.''''  Therefore  if  a  man  fulfilled  all  the  law  perfectly,  and 
did  all  good  and  no  evil,  yet  he  would  not  be  righteous  before  God, 
he  would  not  be  justified  in  the  sight  of  God,  whatever  he  might  be 


20  THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD. 

in  the  sight  of  men.  The  Word  of  God,  which  declares  that  a  man 
cannot  be  justified,  that  is  obtain  Righteousness  and  be  righteous,  if 
he  does  ever  so  much,  also  declares  that  a  man  is  justified,  that  is, 
obtains  Righteousness  and  is  righteous,  if  he  does  nothing  at  all ;  and 
only  believes  in  Jesus  Christ ;  saying,  "  a  man  is  jvstijied  by  faith 
without  the  deeds  of  the  law,"  and  also  saying  "  by  the  deeds  of  the 
law  shall  nofesh  be  justified.'''' 

To  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  to  look  to  him  as  The 
Christ,  that  is  as  the  anointed  High  Priest,  to  stand  in  our  stead 
before  God  and  to  perform  all  things  for  us.  To  receive  him  to  do 
all  for  us,  and  to  offer  up  spiritual  sacrifices  for  us,  to  submit  to  him 
to  do  all  this,  and  not  presumptuously  to  attempt  to  do  it  ourselves, 
this  only  is  to  believe  in  him.  Christ  is  the  Righteousness  of  all 
them  that  believe  in  him,  they  want  no  other  Righteousness,  the 
Righteousness  of  God  is  imputed  to  them,  is  put  upon  them,  and  they 
are  perfectly  righteous  by  this  imputation  of  God's  Righteousness, 
without  their  doing  any  thing  whatever.  This  is  being  justified  by 
faith ;  it  is  receiving  Righteousness  as  a  gift  by  the  great  favour  and 
kindness  of  God,  and  not  getting  it  by  doing  any  thing  ourselves. 
Righteousness  is  doing  good ;  he  who  looks  to  Christ  to  be  his 
Righteousness,  looks  to  him  to  do  good  for  him ;  this  is  what  Christ 
does,  this  is  what  he  came  to  do,  viz.  "  to  do  the  will  of  God,"  and 
accordino^ly  they  who  believe  and  receive  him,  have  nothing  to  do, 
but  to  stand  still,  and  he  comes  to  them  and  is  in  them,  and  he  does 
all  Righteousness  for  them.  He  alone  does  it,  they  do  it  not ;  and 
what  he  does  he  imputes  to  them.  Thus  then,  they  who  believe  in 
Christ  have  nothing  to  do,  God  is  in  them  doing  all  things  for 
them,  and  giving  and  imputing  to  them  all  his  own  Righteousness, 
which  it  is  God  alone  who  doeth.  They  continuing  to  believe,  God 
continues  to  do  all  things  for  them,  and  continually  imputes  his  own 
works  to  them.  As  they  trust  to  him  and  look  to  him,  so  in  propor- 
tion he  does  the  more  for  them.  Thus  God  is  in  his  people,  and  the 
whole  body  or  collection  of  them  that  believe  is  therefore  called  a 
city,  where  God  is,  as  the  prophet  Ezekiel  says,  "  the  name  of  the 
city  shall  be,  The  Lord  is  there."  Hence  it  is  manifest  that  he 
who  believeth  in  Christ  has  nothing  to  do,  for  when  God  does  all 
things  for  him,  there  is  nothing  left  for  him  to  do. 

They  who  believe  are  made  righteous  (that  is,  are  justified)  by 
Grace,  for  it  is  extraordinary  favour  and  wonderful  grace  indeed  that 
God  should  condescend  to  dwell  with  man  and  do  such  great  things 
for  him.  It  is  by  the  Promise  of  God,  (which  promise  he  made  to 
Abraham  and  confirmed  it  by  an  oath) ;  it  is  by  his  mere  mercy,  his 
everlasting  mercy ;  by  his  mere  gift,  his  unspeakable  gift,  that  it  is 
so !  In  his  rich  grace  and  wonderful  love  to  us,  he  becomes  OUR 
RIGHTEOUSNESS,  he  puts  all  his  own  Righteousness  upon  us,  he 
imputes  it  unto  and  upon  us,  he  clothes  us  and  covers  us  completely 
in  the  robe  of  Righteousness !  No  being  or  creature  could  be  more 
righteous,  more  perfect,  more  holy,  more  pure,  and  more  complete 
than  he  is,  be  he  the  filthiest  wretch  who  craAvls  upon  this  earth, 
^vho  does  nothing,  but  only  believes  in  the  name  of  Jesus  of  Naza- 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD.  21 

reth,  the  Holy  One  of  God  ;  who  only  receives  him  as  his  Anointed 
or  High  Priest,  who  looks  to  him,  and  trusts  wholly  to  him.  He  is 
God  manifest  in  the  flesh,  his  name  is  Wonderful,  and  he  is  wonder- 
ful, his  power  is  wonderful,  his  grace  is  wonderful,  and  his  gift  and 
work  is  wonderful  to  them  that  believe,  and  they,  standing  still  and 
beholding  the  glory  of  God,  and  his  Salvation,  and  his  work,  will 
exclaim  with  wonder  joy  and  astonishment  "  What  hath  God 
wrought  /" 

Thus  then,  to  be  justified  by  faith,  is  to  be  made  righteous;  and 
we  are  made  righteous  by  the  imputation  of  Christ,  the  Righteous- 
ness of  God,  without  doing,  but  only  believing.  It  is  not  merely 
being  made  righteous  by  one  single  imputation  of  God's  Righteous- 
ness, made  once  for  all,  and  then  after  that  being  left  to  do  good, 
which  would  be  being  left  to  be  justified  or  get  righteousness  by  the 
law,  far  from  it.  God  hath  said  "  He  that  is  justified  by  the  law^'' 
(that  is,  who  tries  to  do  good,  or  to  get  Righteousness  by  his  own 
exertions)  "  is  fallen  from  Grace.''''  Righteousness  is  doing  good,  or 
else  it  is  no  Righteousness  at  all,  and  God's  Righteousness  is  God's 
doing  good.  Therefore  when  this  Righteousness  is  unto  him  that 
believes,  then  he  has  God  to  do  good  for  him ;  this  is  to  have  God's 
Righteousness.  This  effectual  Righteousness  in  Jesus  Christ  is  unto 
them  that  believe ;  Righteousness  is  done  for  them  by  Christ  him- 
self, and  it  is  imputed  to  them  as  if  it  was  their  doing,  though  it  is 
done  by  him  only.  It  is  done  for  them  when  they  believe ;  and,  as 
they  continue  in  believing,  it  is  continually  done  for  them ;  and,  as  it 
is  continually  done  for  them,  so  it  is  continually  imputed  to  them  and 
put  upon  them.  God's  Righteousness,  which  is  his  doing  good,  is  an 
everlasting  Righteousness ;  he  continually  performeth  all  for  them 
that  look  to  him,  and  his  gift  and  grace  and  goodness  is  not  moment- 
ary nor  for  once  only,  but  everlasting,  and  therefore,  as  he  constantly 
and  unceasingly  works  Righteousness  for  his  people,  so  he  never 
ceases  giving  it  to  them  and  imputing  it  to  them !  They  believe  and 
look  to  him,  and  he  worketh  Righteousness  for  them,  and  imputes  it 
to  them ;  they  continue  to  believe,  abiding  in  faith,  standing  still  and 
looking  and  trusting  only  to  him,  and  he  continues  to  work  for  them, 
and,  as  is  written  in  the  Psalms,  to  "  do  all  things  for  them,''''  and 
graciously  to  impute  his  own  glorious  work  of  Righteousness  to 
them.  Thus  they  have  nothing  to  do,  he  doeth  all  for  them.  This, 
and  nothing  less  than  this,  is  to  be  justified  by  faith !  it  is  not  to 
have  one  Righteousness  imputed  to  us  for  once,  but  continual 
Righteousness,  the  continual  good-doing  of  God  himself,  continually 
imputed  to  us,  daily,  hourly,  unceasingly  and  for  ever! 

Christ  has  not  only  once  done  all  for  us,  but  he  ever  liveth,  and 
does  all,  and  will  do  all  and  every  thing  for  us,  when  we  wish,  when 
we  desire,  when  we  want  it,  that  is,  when  we  believe  !  By  the  infi- 
nite, the  rich  and  stupendous  grace  of  God,  Righteousness  is  given 
unto  us,  and  is  upon  us,  when  we  believe,  and  it  is  in  proportion  as 
we  desire  it  and  hunger  after  it,  "  according  to  thy  faith  be  it  unto 
thee,''''  that  is,  he  who  throws  himself  most  entirely  upon  God,  and 
trusts  most  to  him,  and  longeth  most  after  his  true  Righteousness 


22  THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD. 

(which  alone  is  real  Righteousness)  will  know  the  most  of  his  good- 
ness and  power ;  but  he  who  tries  be  it  ever  so  little  at  his  own 
power,  can  know  nothing  whatever  of  God. 

When  we  believe  this,  namely  this  doctrine,  which  is  the  doctrine 
of  God,  then  only  we  believe  the  faithful  and  sure  word,  "  Thy 
Righteousness  is  an  everlasting  Righteousness.''''  Yea  verily  it  is  not 
a  momentary  Righteousness,  it  is  not  for  once,  and  there  an  end  of 
it,  but  it  is  for  once,  and  it  is  continual,  and  it  is  for  ever !  It  is  only 
through  faith  we  receive  this  Promised  gift,  and  not  by  doing  any 
thing,  far  from  it,  but  standing  entirely  still,  trusting  entirely  to  God, 
and  beholding  that  God  is  God  indeed,  for  the  Scripture  says,  "  Be 
still,  and  know  that  I  am  God!''^  When  we  cease  to  believe  or  halt 
in  believing  then  we  cease  to  acknowledge  God,  and  we  cease  to 
behold  the  power  which  we  do  not  acknowledge.  Believing  is  not 
for  once  nor  for  a  moment,  it  is  enduring  to  the  end,  and  the  Righte- 
ousness of  God,  that  is  God's  actual  doing  and  performing  Righteous- 
ness, is  enduring,  lasting,  and  continually  and  at  every  moment  unto 
and  upon  them  that  continue  in  the  faith.  God  even  Jesus  Christ 
continually  doeth  Righteousness  for  them ;  he  does  it,  it  is  his  work ; 
he  imputes  it  to  them,  and  they  are  righteous.  This  is  to  be  justi- 
fied by  faith  !  to  have  God  at  all  times  to  do  all  for  us,  and  to  have 
nothing  to  do  ourselves !  we  only  trusting  to  him,  that  is  only 
believing ! 

Thus,  the  Righteousness  of  God  is  God's  working,  God's  doing 
good :  it  is  Christ  himself,  who  is  the  Power  of  God,  the  manifested 
Righteousness  of  God,  and  who  alone  doeth  good  !  So  that  this 
Righteousness  is  an  active,  living,  never-ending,  everlasting  Righte- 
ousness !  David  says  "  Lo!  he  that  keepcth  Israel,  doth  neither  slum- 
ber nor  sleep."  It  is  God  himself  in  Christ  who  keepeth  Israel  in 
righteousness  and  true  holiness;  he  is  Righteousness,  he  only  doeth 
Righteousness,  he  only  is  holy,  he  is  the  Holy  One ! 

How,  during  the  42  months  in  which  the  Enemy  has  trodden 
down  the  sanctuary,  in  which  the  saints  of  God  have  been  overcome 
by  the  beast,  and  have  been  joined  to  one  or  other  of  the  nations  and 
kindreds  of  the  earth  (the  sects  of  the  religious  professors)  so  as  not 
to  be  known  as  a  separate  people,  as  the  holy  nation, — yea,  God's 
Israel  after  the  spirit,  has  been  scattered  over  all  the  face  of  the 
earth  (i.  e.  among  all  the  sects  and  churches  of  earthly  sensual  pro- 
fessors) they  have  fallen  by  the  edge  of  the  sword  (that  is  the  law) 
they  have  been  led  away  captive  into  all  nations  (i.  e.  sects  of  the 
earth)  and  Jerusalem,  the  holy  city  or  body  of  God's  elect,  has  been 
trodden  down  of  the  Gentiles,  (and  was  so  to  be  for  1260  years  (Rev. 
xi.) :  not  earthly  bodily  Jerusalem ;  but  the  holy  spiritual  city,  the 
collection  of  God's  people  :  (for  if  earthly  Jerusalem  which  is  merely 
bricks  and  stones,  had  been  signified,  then  the  time  would  have 
expired  near  about  the  year  1260,  because  earthly  Jerusalem  began 
to  be  subjected  to  the  gentiles  when  the  Christian  era  began,  and 
therefore  1260  years  of  that  era  would  have  fulfilled  the  time,)  yea 
the  saints  of  God  the  holy  city,  haye  been  overcome  by  the  beast  all 
this  Time  of  Abomination,  in  which  Zion  has  been  desolate  and  a 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD.  23 

widow,  but  the  Time  is  now  nearly  fulfilled,  for  when  the  seventh 

angel  sounds,  it  shall  be  no  longer, how  during  all  this 

Time  in  which  the  abomination  of  human  righteousness,  the  swine- 
flesh  offering  has  been  set  up,  the  Gospel  of  the  living  God  has  been 
prophesying  in  sackcloth  (Rev.  xi.  v.  3.)  "  Lo !  He  that  keepeth 
Israel  slumbereth  not  /"  and  yet  in  this  TIME  they  who  have  even 
mightily  preached  the  truth  and  the  Righteousness  of  Christ,  have 
preached  that  the  Lord  Our  Righteousness  was  a  slumbering  and 
sleeping  Righteousness  !  that  it  was  merely  his  obedience  which  he 
once  gave  to  the  law  in  the  days  of  his  deep  humiliation,  which  obe- 
dience being  then  ended,  was  once  for  all  imputed,  at  one  putting  on, 
to  them  who  believed,  and  after  that  they  had  to  do  good  as  well  as 
they  could  b)^  the  grace  of  God !  and  so  there  was  an  end  of  God's 
Righteousness  which  is  an  Everlasting  Righteousness !  without  end, 
eternal  and  for  ever  !  This  has  been  indeed  a  covering  of  sackcloth 
and  ashes  to  the  gold  of  Zion !  Blessed  be  God,  we  have  not  got  to 
do  good  at  all,  no,  not  by  the  grace  of  God  !  and  blessed  be  our  God, 
that  by  his  Grace,  his  unspeakable  grace  and  gift,  all  is  done  for  us, 
by  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord,  the  Messiah  of  God,  and  we  have  nothing 
whatever  to  do ! 

The  saints  of  God  have  been  overcome  by  the  beast,  during  all 
the  Time  of  the  Abomination,  (which  Time  began  in  the  midst  of 
the  first  seven  hundred  years  or  week  of  centuries)  for  power  has 
been  given  to  the  Beast  over  them.  The  Time  of  the  Abomination 
began  in  the  midst  of  the  first  seven  hundi'ed  years  after  the  death 
of  Christ ;  it  began  with  the  Romish  Church,  and  has  continued  till 
now.  The  first  seven  hundred  years  is  called  in  Daniel  a  week,  for 
it  is  a  week  of  centuries :  during  this  week  God  confirmed  his  Cove- 
nant in  Christ  with  many,  even  thousands  and  thousands  of  his 
beloved  people,  but  in  the  midst  of  this  week  the  abomination  of  % 
human  works  and  piety  was  set  up,  and  the  pure  oblation  and  sacri- 
fice which  Christ  alone  offers  up  to  God  was"  made  to  cease,  and  that 
desolation  (which  now  has  come  to  its  full)  then  began.  "  And  he 
shall  confirm  the  covenant  with  many  for  one  week :  and  in  the  midst 
of  the  iDeek  he  shall  cause  the  sacrifice  and  the  oblation  to  cease,  and 
for  the  overspreading  of  abominations,  he  shall  make  it  desolate,  even 
until  the  consummation,  and  that  determined  shall  he.  poured  upon  the 
desolate.''^  (Daniel,  ch.  ix.  v.  27.)  During  all  this  Time,  God's  elect, 
the  holy  city,  has  been  trodden  under  foot,  the  people  of  God  have 
been  overcome  by  the  Beast,  which  has  reigned  and  ruled  all  this 
Time.  Being  thus  overcome  they  have  not  seen  Christ  to  be  actu- 
ally and  truly  the  whole  and  sole  doer  of  Righteousness  for  them 
that  receive  him  ;  our  whole  and  sole  Righteousness,  both  active  and 
passive,  and  of  all  kinds ;  yea,  if  there  be  ten  million  different  kinds 
of  Righteousness,  then  he  is  all  of  them  to  us,  for  he  is  "  Our  Righte- 
ousness'''' which  includes  of  all  kinds  !  Not  knowing  this,  not  know- 
ing the  power  of  God,  (though  exceedingly  elated  and  swelled  up 
with  what  we  did  know,)  especially  we,  the  last  of  them  (Laodicea) 
who  have  said  we  knew  all,  and  were  rich  and  increased  in  goods 
and  had  need  of  nothing,  and  knew  not  our  real  situation  (Rev.  iii.  17), 


24  THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD. 

we  have  greatly  erred,  and  have  been  overcome  by  the  beast,  as 
it  is  written,  "  and  it  was  given  unto  him  to  make  tear  with  the  saints 
and  to  overcome  them  :  and  power  was  given  him  over  all  kindreds 
and  tongnes  and  nations,^'  (Rev.  xiii.  v.  7.)  He  who  will  believe 
God's  word,  and  not  be  disobedient,  must  submit  and  confess  that  all 
without  any  exception  have  been  overcome. 

Thus  then  the  imputation  of  the  Righteousness  of  Christ  is  not 
merely  one  imputation,  but  it  is  a  perpetual  and  unceasing  imputa- 
tion :  his  work  of  Righteousness  is  not  one  work,  done  and  ended 
when  he  was  on  the  earth,  but  he  is  "  with  us  always  even  to  the  end 
of  the  world,''''  and  all  his  beauty,  his  glory,  his  perfection,  his  grace, 
his  work,  his  power,  is  with  us  too,  that  is  when  we  believe,  and  then 
according  to  our  faith.  This  is  a  perfect,  a  continued  and  unceasing 
work,  he  does  all  for  the  believer  and  he  imputes  all  that  he  does, 
and  that  is  all  Righteousness,  to  the  believer.  This  and  only  this  is 
justification  by  faith,  being  made  righteous  by  Christ  without  our 
doing  any  thing :  doing  all  and  perfect  Righteousness,  yea  walking 
and  living  in  Righteousness  with  God,  without  doing  any  thing,  and 
without  any  the  least  thing  whatever  to  do!  having  Rest,  having 
nothing  to  do !  believing  in  God  only  to  do  all,  trusting  the  work 
entirely  to  Christ  the  Power  of  God,  The  Anointed  High  Priest : 
yea,  not  fearing  to  cast  all  the  burden  and  all  the  care  upon  him ! 
This  is  justification  by  faith,  and  short  of  this,  or  part  of  this,  is  not 
justification  by  faith  ! 

All  that  is  here  said  is  fully  comprehended  in  the  words  "  Christ 
is  our  life^''  there  is  no  life  except  in  Righteousness,  that  is  doing 
good,  and  Christ,  a  new  man,  is  the  only  man  who  doeth  Righteous- 
ness; he  is  Righteousness,  even  the  Righteousness  of  God!  To  do 
evil  or  wrong  is  unrighteousness,  that  is  death  and  a  curse.  From 
this  death  in  trespasses  and  sins  God  maketh  his  people  alive,  or,  as 
it  is  written,  he  quickeneth  them :  it  is  a  great  grace  and  favour  for 
him  to  do  so :  and  he  doeth  this  by  the  word,  giving  unto  them  to 
hear  his  word  by  his  holy  Spirit,  which  is  understanding :  and  then, 
understanding  the  word,  they  hear  and  believe.  This  is  to  receive 
life,  this  is  to  be  raised  from  the  dead,  this  is  to  enter  into  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  this  is  to  be  born  of  the  word  (which  is  called  water) 
and  of  the  Spirit  (that  is  understanding).  It  is  simply  to  believe. 
They  who  have  understanding  (which  is  the  Spirit  of  God)  they  hear 
and  believe  :  without  this  understanding,  "  man  is  like  the  beasts  that 
perish.'''' 

Yes  I  to  be  justified  by  faith  is  to  receive  Righteousness  or  life, 
only  and  simply  in  looking  to  God,  and  trusting  to  him  in  Jesus 
Christ.  This  all  will  do  who  are  wise  and  understand  trusting  him 
the  Christ,  without  working  or  doing  at  all,  leaving  that  entirely  to 
Him  !  This  is  to  believe,  and  he  who  believes  is  justified  by  faith, 
that  is,  he  receives  Christ  to  do  Righteousness  for  him,  and  to  make 
him  a  doer  of  Righteousness,  not  for  once  only,  but  daily,  hourly, 
continually,  yea  every  moment  of  our  existence  I  By  his  death  he 
took  away  all  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree ;  he  suflered  for 
our  transgressions,  and  thus  God  doth  not  impute  sin  unto  us ;  all 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOU. 


25 


our  sins  are  hereby  removed  trom  us  as  far  as  the  East  is  from  the 
West,  and  we  are  made  righteous  or  justified  by  his  death  :  thus  all 
Israel  was  justified  when  they  laid  their  hands  on  the  sacrifice  which 
was  slain.  He  shed  his  blood  for  us,  and  cleansed  us  from  all  sin,  so 
that  we  are  made  righteous,  or,  justified  by  his  blood ;  and  thus  all 
the  saints  of  old  were  justified  being  sprinkled  by  the  blood,  and  thus 
the  saints  of  God  in  the  Time  of  this  abomination  have  been  justi- 
fied, who  have  had  no  hope  in  their  doing  good,  but  only  in  his 
blood !  But  this  is  not  all,  though  this  is  all  that  David  and  the 
prophets  knew,  and  this  is  all  that  the  elect  of  God  have  known  dur- 
ing the  Time  of  abomination,  since  the  first  week  of  seven  hundred 
years.  We  are  also  justified  by  his  life,  "  he  rose  again  for  our  jus- 
tification.'''' That  is,  he  not  only  suffered  death  to  destroy  the  body 
of  sin  and  death,  and  so  he  justified  us ;  he  not  only  shed  his  blood 
and  sprinkled  us  therewith  and  made  us  clean  from  all  our  sins,  and 
so  he  justified  us ;  but  what  is  more  glorious  still  is  the  glory  which 
was  to  follow  his  sufiering  and  bloodshedding.  (1  Peter,  ch.  i.  11, 
12).  He  rose  again  to  live  in  his  people,  to  bless  them  with  the 
power  and  presence  of  his  Righteousness,  to  be  their  life,  to  do  all 
things  for  them,  to  work  all  their  works  in  them,  that  they  might 
live  and  have  life  more  abundantly.  Thus  we  are  justified,  made 
righteous,  made  (by  imputation)  doers  of  Righteousness,  by  his  life, 
by  his  living  in  us,  and  being  in  us,  and  dwelling  in  us,  "  performing 
all  things  for  us  /"  This  is  what  the  Holy  Ghost  signifies  when  it 
is  said,  "  he  rose  again  for  our  justification.''''  So  that  he  not  only 
justifies  his  saints  by  his  death  and  by  his  blood,  by  suffering  for  and 
taking  away  all  our  sins,  but  by  his  life  also,  by  living  in  them,  and 
He  himself  working  all  Righteousness  for  them !  This  is  "  the 
power  of  his  resurrection"  the  glory  which  should  follow  his  death 
and  sufferings.  This  is  a  great  glory,  as  far  above  the  being  only 
cleansed  from  all  sin,  as  to  do  Righteousness  is  far  above  being 
merely  not  unrighteous.  As  to  have  no  sin  imputed  to  us  is  blessed 
indeed,  and  this  was  the  case  with  David,  so  to  have  no  sin  imputed 
to  us,  and  also  moreover  to  have  actual  Righteousness  imputed  to  us 
and  so  to  be  doers  of  Righteousness,  is  far  more  glorious  and  blessed  ! 
and  this  was  what  David  and  the  prophets  searched  to  know  (1 
Peter,  i.  10.)  God  is  glorified  hereby,  for  indeed  it  is  not  a  glory  to 
us,  but  to  God  !  "  Herein  is  my  Father  glorified  that  ye  bring  forth 
much  fruit  /"  If  we  did  the  works  it  would  be  a  glory  to  us,  but 
Christ  alone  doeth  them  and  God  is  glorified  by  Christ.  The  saints 
of  old  searched  to  know  of  this  (Peter).  After  the  resurrection  of 
Jesus  Christ,  his  people  enjoyed  this  life  and  glory  for  one  week  of 
seven  hundred  years,  and  in  the  midst  of  this  week  the  abomination 
of  the  piety  of  a  beast,  a  counterfeit  Christianity  began,  which  was 
to  last  for  42  months,  that  is  1260  years,  and  which  has  since  made 
altogether  desolate.  (Dan.  ix.  27.)  For  700  years,  or  a  week,  the 
Everlasting  Covenant  of  the  Promise  in  Christ  Jesus  the  seed  of 
Abraham  was  confirmed  with  many,  yea  with  multitudes,  of  God's 
beloved  who  believed  in  his  Name.  Since  then  until  now,  (when  the 
Times  of  the  Gentiles  are  fulfilled)  the  glory  of  the  Gospel  has  been 
4 


26  THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD. 

hidden,  and  this  witness  of  God's  Righteousness  has  testified  in 
sackcloth,  (Rev.  xi.  3).  The  word  of  God  is  express  which  de- 
clared beforehand  that  it  should  be  for  1260  years.  (Dan.  viii.  14 ; 
Dan.  xii.  7  ;  Rev.  xi.  2  ;  Rev.  xi.  3;  Rev.  xii.  6,  14). 

During  all  the  Time  in  which  the  riches  of  the  glory  of  this  Mys- 
tery have  been  hidden  from  a  proud  and  wicked  and  learned  Earth 
(for  God  would  not  cast  his  pearls  before  those  who  would  trample 
them  under  their  feet,  not  one  of  the  chosen  seed  has  been  lost, 
though  the  glory  has  been  dimmed.  God  has  nourished  his  Church 
though  it  was  in  the  wilderness  (Rev.  xii.  6)  and  foolish  faithless  and 
provoking  as  those  who  were  40  years  in  the  wilderness  (1  Cor.  x. 
11)  nor,  in  all  this  Time  would  one,  no  not  a  single  one  of  the  wicked 
and  self-sanctifiers  have  believed  in  Christ  alone  for  Righteousness, 
no,  not  even  if  nothing  had  been  hid,  if  their  eyes  had  not  been 
blinded,  and  Christ  had  told  them  all!  "if  I  tell  you.,  ye  will  not 
helieve^  The  enemies  of  God  under  the  guise  of  zealous  believers, 
denying  his  words,  setting  up  their  own  doctrines  and  yet  pretending 
to  be  his  servants,  were  to  be,  and  to  have  power  for  a  Time  to  show 
themselves,  to  be  let  alone  to  do  their  will  and  build  their  buildings 
(though  even  this  only  just  so  far  as  God  had  willed)  and  while  this 
has  been,  Christ  has  been  waiting  till  the  Time  should  be  no  more, 
till  his  enemies  should  be  made  his  footstool :  the  heavens  have  re- 
ceived him  till  this  Time  is  accomplished  (Acts,  iii.  21),  and  now, 
the  Time  shall  be  no  longer,  and  he  will  shortly  appear,  in  the 
clouds  of  heaven  with  power  and  great  glory,  and  all  his  holy  angels 
with  him!  (Acts,  i.  11)  and  the  Mystery  of  God  will  be  finished. 

This  great  and  glorious  Truth  and  Mystery  of  godliness,  even  of 
Jesus  Christ  coming  in  the  flesh,  and  doing  all  for  his  people.,  work- 
ing all  his  works  in  them,  they  having  nothing  to  do,  they  only  be- 
lieving, no  one  in  heaven  or  in  earth  could  ever  find  out !  There 
have  been  during  the  42  months  wise  and  learned  men,  yea,  there 
have  been  saints  and  prophets  of  God  who  have  truly  testified  of 
Christ,  (though  in  sackcloth,)  and  yet,  what  God  hath  not  been 
pleased  to  make  known,  no  man  hath  known.  The  very  length  of 
time  it  has  been  hid,  is  as  if  it  were  to  humble  the  pride  of  all  men, 
and  to  let  them  know  that  the  things  of  God  knoweth  no  man ! 
(1  Cor.  ii.  11)  no  !  no  man  !  but  only  the  Spirit  of  God  !  Boasting  is 
altogether  excluded  from  the  reach  of  filthy  flesh,  that  is  from  us  the 
children  of  Adam. 


CHAPTER  V. 

What  Antichrist  is,  and  that  he  now  reigns  in  the  Earth  {the  religious 

world). 

It  has  been  seen  that  the  Righteousness  of  God  (and  that,  not  a 
momentary,  but  a  perpetual ;  not  a  passive  but  an  active  Righteous- 
ness) is  unto  all  and  upon  all  them  that  believe ;  that  Christ  Jesus 
himself  does  all  for  them,  and  they  have  nothing  to  do.     It  is  so ! 

It  may  be  said,  if  this  be  the  case,  then  Jesus  Christ  is  again  on 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD. 


27 


the  earth,  and  is  not  only  come  once  in  the  flesh  in  his  own  body, 
but  is  come  again  in  the  flesh  in  them  that  believe.  Since  He  who 
was  manifested  at  the  appointed  time,  being  born  of  the  virgin  Mary, 
comes  and  dwells  in  them  that  believe,  and  is  in  them,  then  Jesus 
Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh.  It  is  so :  this  is  the  doctrine  of  God 
laid  open  in  this  little  book,  namely,  that  he  who  believeth  only  in 
Him  hath  nothing  to  do,  for  Jesus  Christ  cometh  and  dwelleth  in 
him,  in  the  flesh,  and  doeth  all  and  every  thing  for  him,  even  all  the 
will  of  God,  which  as  it  is  written  in  the  Psalms  he  came  on  purpose 
to  do.  He  comes  in  the  flesh  to  him  who  believes,  having  cleansed 
him  and  washed  him  and  made  him  a  holy  vessel  of  God ! 

Whosoever  he  be  who  does  not  confess  this  truth,  he  is  Antichrist ; 
whosoever  he  be  who  saith  that  the  sinner  has  got  any  thing  to  do, 
and  does  not  openly  declare  and  confess  that  it  is  Jesus  Christ  who 
doeth  all  Righteousness  or  good,  who  alone  doeth  it,  and  is  it,  he, 
even  he  is  Antichrist !  No  one  can  now  any  longer  be  deceived, 
unless  he  is  determined  to  be  deceived  and  to  perish !  for  this  doc- 
trine is  given  of  God  as  a  sure  and  positive  test  to  try  whether 
preachers  or  prophets  are  deceivers  and  false  prophets,  speaking  lies 
in  hypocrisy,  speaking  by  the  Spirit  of  falsehood,  or  whether  they 
are  of  God.  God  hath  had  great  mercy  upon  us  in  this  latter  day 
by  giving  us  this  sure  test,  that  we  may  not  be  deceived  by  the  son 
of  perdition,  even  Antichrist  and  the  beast,  though  he  be  transformed 
into  an  angel  of  light  and  speak  like  a  lamb,  prating  about  the  "  dear 
Redeemer"  in  all  hypocrisy  and  all  deceivableness  of  unrighteous- 
ness. Whosoever  does  not  teach  that  Christ  doeth  all  and  the 
sinner  hath  nothing  to  do ;  that  is,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the 
flesh  and  is  the  only  worker  of  Righteousness ;  who  preaches  "  do 
good,^^  saying  that  the  sinner  who  believes  has  got  to  do  good, — he 
is  not  of  God,  he  is  a  false  prophet !  he  is  a  worshipper  of  the  beast 
or  of  the  image  of  the  beast,  (that  is  either  of  himself  or  what  he 
calls  his  regenerated  self,  a  mere  fiction,  an  image  of  himself.) 

"  Hereby  know  ye  the  Spirit  of  God :  every  spirit  that  confesseth 
that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  thefiesh  is  of  God  ;  and  every  spirit  that 
confesseth  not  that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh,  is  not  of  God. 
And  this  is  that  Spirit  of  Antichrist,  whereof  ye  have  heard  that  it 
should  come  ;  and  even  now  already  is  it  in  the  worlds  1  John,  iv. 
2,  3. 

Yea,  they  who  believe  have  nothing  to  do,  Christ  doeth  all,  him- 
self, for  them,  he  is  in  them,  he  is  come  in  the  flesh !  It  is  only 
thus  that  Jesus  Christ  can  come  in  the  flesh,  even  coming  and  being 
in  them  that  believe  and  receive  him !  for,  when  he  came  into  the 
world  in  the  due  time,  it  was  not  Jesus  Christ  who  then  came  in  the 
flesh,  but  God  who  came  and  was  manifest  in  the  flesh,  and  the 
Word  being  made  flesh,  was  then  first  called  Jesus ;  this  is  the 
Christ!  This  is  that  Jesus  Christ  who  to  them  that  believe  in  his 
Name,  comes  in  the  flesh,  and  all  his  Work  and  Beauty  and  Righte- 
ousness comes  with  him!  Not  to  receive  and  confess  this  holy  truth 
is  to  deny  and  refuse  Jesus  Christ !  And  to  teach  any  other  doc- 
trine, saying  to  evil  man  "  do  good'''  is  not  to  confess  it,  is  Anti- 


28  THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD. 

christ,  yea,  this  is  Antichrist  which  should  come,  and  which  should 
reign  and  overcome  for  42  months,  that  is  1260  years.  All  the 
religious  doctrine  of  this  present  day  is  Antichrist,  the  whole  reli- 
gion of  this  present  Time  is  Antichrist.  Not  only  they  do  not  con- 
fess that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh,  to  him  that  believes,  and 
that  He  alone  bringeth  forth  in  him  Righteousness  and  all  its  fruits 
(Phil.  i.  11),  but  they  know  nothing  whatever  about  it  in  their  sen- 
sual doctrine,  and  therefore  cannot  confess  it ;  the  whole  doctrine  of 
God  is  a  strange  thing  to  their  natural  understandings ;  the  very 
first  rudiments  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ  are  strange  and  unknown  to 
them  :  they  are  in  confusion,  and  stare  one  at  another,  and  grope  in 
the  dark ;  their  faces  are  as  flames :  while  they  wonder  how  it  is 
that  with  all  their  fleshly  labours  and  pious  pride  they  do  not  make  a 
better  show  in  the  flesh  (seeing  but  not  opening  their  eyes  to  the 
vanity  of  their  doings),  and  in  their  confusion  they  vainly  call  upon 
God  and  his  holy  Spirit  to  join  with  them  in  "  doing  good"  and  to 
help  them  !  to  become  a  servant  and  a  helpmate  to  them  and  the 
satellite  of  their  religious  lusts,  to  di-ag  along  with  them  the  chariot 
of  the  beast,  the  filthy  sinful  and  lascivious  beast,  which  they  toil 
and  labour  to  move  and  drag  along.  But  it  does  not  move,  and  the 
city  of  confusion  laments  and  cries  aloud  and  urges  on  the  beast  in 
vain  ! 

Christ  was  before  all  worlds;  the  Lamb  of  God,  slain  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world,  in  whom  alone,  since  the  world  began,  all 
who  have  been  saved,  have  been  saved.  When  in  the  fulness  of  time 
he  came  into  the  world,  and  was  born  of  a  woman,  he  was  then  first, 
having  become  man,  named  Jesus:  and  was  then  first  the  man  Christ 
Jesus.  This  man  in  whom  God  is  manifested,  even  this  Jesus  Christ 
the  Lord  of  Glory,  is  come  in  the  flesh,  to  dwell  in  the  body  of  all 
those  who  believe  in  him :  (2  Cor.  vi.  16.  Coloss.  i.  27.  Rs.  viii. 
10.  1  John,  iv.  4.  Isaiah,  xii.  6  ;  xxvi.  12.  Ezkl.  xlviiii.  35) :  he 
comes  in  them  to  do  all  righteousness  for  them  and  instead  of  them, 
and  they  have  nothing  to  do,  and  must  do  nothing,  but  stand  still. 
He  that  knoweth  not  this  knoweth  not  the  truth  to  this  day,  and  he 
that  will  not  receive  and  confess  this  is  Antichrist.  Hereby  we  know 
that  this  is  the  last  Time,  (the  Time  which  shall  be  no  longer,)  be- 
cause this  truth  is  bitterly  opposed,  and  the  lie  that  man  doeth  good 
(not  Christ  only)  is  the  doctrine  taught  and  which  reigns  in  the 
earth  (that  is  the  religious  world)  in  this  day. 

This  is  the  truth  declared  by  John,  the  last  disciple,  and  for  our 
sakes,  that  we  might  be  certain  and  know  assuredly,  with  full  assur- 
ance of  understanding,  the  only  true  doctrine  of  Christ,  and  who  and 
whit  Antichrist  is,  who  opposcth  Christ  and  cxalteth  himself  above 
Christ  and  God,  whom  yet  they  call  God !  It  is  the  religion  and 
profession  of  this  last  day,  viz.  professing  that  man  doeth  good,  and 
not  confessing  that  only  Jesus  Christ  doeth  good,  being  come  in  the 
flesh  to  them  that  believe,  doing  it  fi)r  them. 

This  is  the  Mystery  of  Godliness  and  it  is  a  very  great  mystery 
indeed,  which  Antichrist  with  all  his  piety  and  hopeful  seriousness 
does  not  know  nor  confess.     The  godliness  or  piety  which  Antichrist 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD.  29 

preaches  (which  is  not  godliness,  but  is  an  abomination)  is  no  mys- 
tery, it  is  a  work  which  any  fleshly  man  can  perform  and  assume, 
whereas,  to  them  who  only  believe,  God  himself  is  the  worker :  He, 
the  Almighty  God,  performeth  all  for  them,  and  this  is  a  great  Mys- 
tery !  It  is  one  of  the  wonders  of  the  wonderful  God !  (Isaiah.)  It 
is  truly  wonderful,  it  is  stupendous,  it  is  beyond  understanding,  that 
God  himself,  the  Mighty  God,  even  the  glorified  Jesus  Christ,  should 
stoop  so  low,  and  come  in  the  flesh,  yea  "  even  to  the  rebellions  also" 
and  the  ungodly,  and  dwell  in  his  people  who  receive  him,  and  he  in 
them  and  walk  in  them,  and  he  their  God  ! 

And  doth  Jesus  Christ  come  in  the  flesh  and  do  nothing  ?  or  only 
do  part  good  ?  part  Righteousness  ?  does  he  leave  the  needy  helpless 
sinner  who  receives  him  to  do  good  ?  to  do  any  thing  at  all  1  Nay 
verily  !  when  he  comes.  Life  and  Power  and  Righteousness  and  Holi- 
ness, all  the  work  and  all  the  fiuits  of  Righteousness  come  with  him 
and  are  by  him,  and  remain,  even  more  than  would  suffice  to  purify 
and  sanctify  millions  of  worlds !  What  then  has  he  who  believes  to 
do?  He  has  to  do  nothing;  he  must  stand  still,  believe,  trust  to, 
receive  and  acknowledge  God  !  in  a  word,  he  has  only  to  submit  to 
God !  He  who  does  not  confess  this  Truth,  he  is  a  deceiver  and  an 
Antichrist. 

What  astonishing  mercy  and  goodness,  what  exceeding  great  love  ! 
that  God  himself  should  provide  Righteousness  for  and  give  it  freely, 
to  the  ungodly,  to  a  sinful  and  rebellious  people  !  a  people  lost  in 
sins,  devoted  to  unrighteousness,  and  obstinately,  perversely,  invin- 
cibly, and  irreclaimably  corrupted,  and  addicted  to  deceitful  lusts ! 
And  to  provide  Righteousness  for  them  by  means  of  one  of  them, 
which  would  have  been  impossible  but  that  he  provided  a  new  man 
like  unto  them  in  every  thing  except  in  sin,  a  righteous  man,  a  Holy 
One !  And  what  not  to  be  uttered  Love,  to  provide  this  Holy  One, 
this  man  the  conqueror  of  sin  and  doer  of  Righteousness,  by  his  own 
self  entering  into  a  body  of  man,  and  becoming  man !  And  the 
Mighty  God,  the  Everlasting  Father  having  stooped  down  to  dwell 
in  a  fleshly  temple,  then  to  suffer  patiently  all  degradation  and 
misery  and  contumely  and  insult,  from  his  own  creatures  !  to  be  an 
afflicted  man,  a  cursed  man,  cursed  for  the  sake  of  others,  and  to 
suffer  death  as  a  man,  and  to  take  on  himself  the  curse  and  condem- 
nation of  the  law,  and  all  this  for  the  sake  of  those  who  were  sinful, 
and  guilty,  yea  those  who  reviled  and  pierced  him !  But,  O  mons- 
trous iniquity  !  after  God  has  done  all  this,  and  provided  Righteous- 
ness for  the  sinful — that  men  loudly  professing  heartily  and  zealously 
to  believe  what  he  has  done,  should  rise  up,  saying,  that  what  he  had 
done  was  good  for  nothing !  saying  that  they,  evil  beings,  must  per- 
form that  which  is  far  from  them,  viz.  Righteousness !  Thus  saying 
to  God  who  has  done  so  much,  that  he  need  not  have  taken  so  much 
pains  to  provide  Righteousness,  but  (since  it  must  be  provided)  they 
will  provide  it  themselves !  This  is  trampling  under  foot,  utterly 
insulting  the  Son  of  God  and  crucifying  him  afresh  !  Because  verily, 
as  the  Lord  God  liveth,  if  there  could  exist  any  such  thing  as  Righte- 
ousness from  evil  men  and  women  who  onlv  do  evil  and  that  con- 


30  THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD. 

tinually,  then  Christ  need  not  have  suffered  at  all,  then  all  that  he 
suffered  was  vain  and  useless !  Therefore  highly  excellent  as  human 
piety  and  Righteousness  appears  to  us  blind  and  wicked  flesh,  to 
preach  to  sinful  man  "  do  good"  "  be  pious"  "  be  godly,"  or  do  any 
thing  at  all  of  this  work  which  is  God's  gracious  work,  which  ex- 
pressly belongs  to  Him,  is  to  trample  under  foot  the  Son  of  God  and 
to  do  despite  to  the  Spirit  of  Grace. 

Shocking  spectacle  !  to  see  a  number  of  poor  sinful  worms  clothed 
for  a  short  moment  in  a  little  respectability  and  honour,  fat  with 
pride  and  filthy  with  sins, — to  see  them  strutting  about  and  putting 
on  pious  looks,  calling  themselves  reverend  men  and  yet  calling 
themselves  hell-deserving  sinners,  and  dreaming  how  nice  and  pretty 
they  are  before  God,  because  of  their  nice  feelings  and  pious  little 
doings  and  attractions !  And  all  the  while  that  they  are  so  busy  and 
making  such  haste  to  do  their  wicked  good,  the  Son  of  God  has 
stooped  to  suffer,  (and  they  pretend  to  know  it  and  teach  it)  to  do 
real  good  and  all  good,  and  to  provide  all  Righteousness,  even  the 
Righteousness  of  God  for  and  instead  of  the  ungodly  ! 

If  there  could  be  such  a  creature  as  a  good  man,  a  doer  of  good 
among  the  children  of  Adam,  then  the  express  word  of  God,  even 
the  law  of  God  would  be  a  lie,  which  declares  "  there  is  none  that 
doeth  good,  no  not  one.''''  He  therefore  who  believeth  not  in  Christ 
the  Righteousness  of  God,  but  worketh  for  himself  to  do  righteous- 
ness, he  maketh  God  a  liar.     (1  John,  v.  10). 

But  since  we  men  are  too  deplorably  and  maliciously  wicked  ever 
to  be  good  or  to  do  Righteousness,  blessed  for  ever  blessed  be  our 
God,  for  the  good  news,  for  the  glad  tidings, — we  have  not  got  any  to 
do !  And  blessed  be  God  for  his  unspeakable  gift,  we  are  not  desti- 
tute of  Righteousness,  (if  we  were  we  should  perish)  but  the  Lord  is 
Our  Righteousness,  even  the  Lord  who  gave  himself  for  us,  and  we 
are  perfectly  righteous  in  "OUR  RIGHTEOUSNESS." 

Herein  is  blessedness,  here  is  liberality  and  grace,  here  is  the  un- 
speakable gift,  here  is  good  news,  here  is  the  talent  of  pure  gold 
(which  the  churlish  usurer  who  preaches  "  pay  something,''''  "  fay 
something,^''  hides  and  buries  and  wraps  up  in  the  filthy  napkin  of 
human  Righteousness,  and  being  an  austere  man  says  that  he  knows 
God  is  snch  an  one  as  himself  and  wants  pay,  and  he  is  afraid  of  the 
exceeding  rich  liberality,  and  hides  the  truth  and  preaches  usury, 
Luke,  xix.  20,  21)  yes!  herein  is  blessedness  and  bounty,  and  rich 
grace  and  glory  and  salvation,  namely,  that  the  needy  wretched  sin- 
ner has  nothing  to  do,  that  is,  nothing  to  give,  nothing  to  pay,  no. 
Nothing,  Nothing  !     Blessed  be  God  ! 

God  the  Saviour,  the  Redeemer,  the  Righteous  One,  the  Holy  One 
of  Israel,  doeth  Righteousness  and  is  Righteousness  for  him  !  he  is 
redeemed  from  under  the  heavy  obligation  of  "  do  good"  and  from 
the  horrible  curse,  which  inevitably  rests  upon  and  adheres  to  every 
creature  which  doeth  evil.  The  curse  is  removed  with  the  obliga- 
tion which  produced  it.  He  is  redeemed  from  under  it !  He  has  no 
longer  got  one  jot  or  tittle  of  it  to  do,  it  is  all  done  for  him  !  There 
is  no  longer  any  wall  of  partition  between  him  and  his  God  ;  there  is 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD.  31 

no  longer  any  veil  between,  it  is  rent  in  twain,  it  is  taken  out  of  the 
way  :  now  he  has  peace  with  God,  now,  only  believing,  he  has  access 
to  God ;  there  is  no  sin  upon  him,  "  God  beholdeth  no  iniquity  in 
Jacob,''''  he  is  cleansed  from  all  sin  by  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  the 
Lamb  of  God,  he  is  cleansed  by  the  word  (the  water  of  life)  even 
Christ,  by  which  Word  the  living  water,  he  is  begotten  again  born 
into  a  new  life  (this  is  to  be  born  of  water)  God  is  with  him  and 
dwelleth  in  him,  he  shall  never  perish,  God  is  faithful !  This  is  the 
faith  of  God's  elect,  this  is  the  faith  of  Christ,  the  faith  once 
delivered  to  the  saints:  that  Christ  only  doeth  good,  he  undertakes 
to  do  it  all  and  does  it  all  for  his  people  who  receive  him,  who  are 
all  without  exception  who  will,  that  is,  who  wish  and  desire  to  take 
of  the  water  of  life  freely,  that  is,  gratuitously,  not  giving  any  thing, 
doing  nothing!  (Rev.  xxii.  17.)  He  comes  to  all  such  who  only  be- 
lieve, and  he  is  with  them,  and  he  is  in  them,  and  he,  and  he  alone 
and  no  one  with  him  doeth  good,  that  is  all  Righteousness  for  them 
and  instead  of  them  !  This  is  the  doctrine  of  God  !  not  to  confess 
this,  not  to  preach  this,  to  teach  any  other  doctrine  than  this,  to  say 
to  men  "  do  good"  is  Antichrist !  and  a  deceiver !  (2  John,  i.  7). 
"  Many  deceivers  are  entered  into  the  icorld  who  confess  not  that 
Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  fesh  ;  this  is  a  deceiver  and  an  Anti- 
christ.^^ 

And  now  Antichrist  who  was  to  come  in  the  last  days,  is  revealed 
in  all  his  power  and  glory  :  This  Time  is  the  time  in  which  the  beast, 
the  man  of  sin,  the  wicked  one,  is  exalted  above  all  that  is  called 
God  (2  Thess.  ii.  3,  4) ;  the  harlot  seated  and  built  upon  the  founda- 
tion of  this  beast  (not  built  upon  Christ  the  only  foundation)  has 
overspread  the  earth  (the  religious  world)  with  the  abomination  of 
her  fornications  and  self-decorations  of  her  own  piety,  and  now  this 
beast  has  slain  the  two  witnesses,  the  law  and  the  gospel,  utterly 
despising  them  both,  and  yet  has  not  buried  them,  but  hawks  about 
and  parades  up  and  down  their  dead  bodies,  (viz.  the  dead  and  de- 
spised letter,  the  bible,)  and  sends  them  about  with  their  books  and 
tracts  by  ship  loads  and  cart  loads  as  presents  to  one  another  and  as 
marks  of  the  triumph  of  the  piety  and  goodness  of  impious  and 
wicked  man  !  (Rev.  xi.  10).  In  all  the  Time  of  1260  years,  the  glory 
of  Zion  has  been  dimmed,  and  the  beast  has  prevailed  and  prospered, 
but,  the  complete  extinction  of  all  truth,  the  complete  triumph  of  the 
beast  and  its  fleshly  piety,  the  gross  darkness  covering  the  earth  (the 
professors  of  earthly  religion),  was  reserved  for  this  very  day  !  (Rev. 
ii.  7.)  But,  as  the  Lord  liveth,  the  time  shall  be  no  longer ! 


CHAPTER  VL 

Why  has  the  sinner  and  the  ungodly  who  believe  nothing  to  do  ?    Is 
it  because  nothing  need  be  done  ? 

They  who  believe  in  Christ  as  their  Righteousness  have  God  in 
them  to  do  all  things  for  them ;  the  Spirit  of  God  dwelleth  in  them, 
the  Spirit  of  Christ  is  in  them,  Christ  is  in  them  (Rom.  viii.  9,  10), 


32  THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD. 

and  having  Him  to  do  all  things  for  them,  they  have  nothing  to  do, 
or  in  other  words,  they  are  not  under  the  law. 

But  if  a  man  does  not  by  faith  receive  Jesus  Christ  as  the  fulfiller 
of  the  whole  law  for  him,  as  his  Righteousness,  (and  that,  not  a  pas- 
sive inert  Righteousness,  not  a  dream  or  imagination,  but  an  active 
powerful  Righteousness  who  worketh  mightily,)  then  he  is  under  the 
law  for  he  does  not  believe,  and  then  he  has  every  thing  to  do,  and 
he  cannot  possibly  escape  from  it,  he  must  fulfil  it  in  every  jot  and 
tittle,  or  he  is  cursed :  for  the  law  is  in  full  force,  the  Gospel  does 
not  set  it  aside,  God  forbid !  the  Gospel  confirms  it. 

It  is  only  he  who  believeth  in  Christ  Jesus  to  do  all  Righteousness 
for  him,  who  really  desires  and  looks  to  him  to  do  it, — it  is  only 
such  a  one  who  is  delivered  from  the  law  and  from  the  curse,  and 
has  nothing  whatever  to  do,  because  it  is  all  done  for  him ;  he  re- 
ceives the  Holy  One  to  do  all  for  him  and  bless  him.  If  this  is  not 
the  case  with  a  man,  if  he  does  not  receive  this  Holy  One  of  God, 
the  whole  burden  and  obligation  of  the  law  is  upon  him,  he  is  bound 
to  the  law,  he  is  married  to  it,  and  woe  unto  him  if  he  putteth  away 
his  wife,  that  is,  if  he  cast  off  the  law  of  God  and  think  that  he  dare 
treat  its  solemn  demands  in  all  thino^s  with  lightness.  God  is  not 
mocked,  the  law  is  true  and  cannot  be  evaded  nor  partially  obeyed, 
nor  violated  in  the  least  degree,  by  any  one,  whosoever  he  be. 

It  is  most  certain  and  true  that  he  who  believes  is  not  under  the 
law  which  commands  to  do  good  ;  it  is  most  certain  and  true  that  he 
has  not  got  to  do  good,  he  has  not  got  any  thing  to  do  !  No  !  blessed 
be  our  God,  he  has  not  got  any  thing  to  do,  he  is  free !  Christ  has 
made  him  free  !  "  He  is  dead  to  the  laio  by  the  body  of  Christ ;  he  ia 
married  to  another,  even  to  Him  xoho  is  risen  from  the  dead." 

But  what  is  the  reason  why  he  has  nothing  to  do  ?  Is  it  because 
nothino;  needs  to  be  done  ?  Is  it  because  no  Risrhteousness  is  to  be 
done  ?  God  forbid.  So  far  from  there  being  no  Righteousness  to 
be  done,  Christ  came  for  the  very  purpose  that  he  might  do  it,  that 
so  he  might  save  us  who  would  not  do  it.  "  Lo  !  I  come  to  do  thy 
will,  O  God." 

This  was  why  he  became  man,  that  man  might  fulfil  the  law,  and 
so  man  might  be  saved.  For  no  one  can  possibly  be  saved  if  the 
whole  Righteousness  of  the  law  is  not  fulfilled,  either  really  by  him, 
or  imputedly  by  him,  that  is  by  Christ,  for  him.  Not  part  by  him 
and  part  by  Christ ;  if  he  fulfils  only  part,  the  whole  is  broken 
(James,  ii.  10),  and  if  Christ  fulfils  only  part,  then  also  all  is  not  ful- 
filled and  the  whole  is  broken:  therefore  this  wicked  doctrine  of 
believing  and  having  something  to  do  at  the  same  time,  is  a  double 
transgression  of  the  law,  and  is  an  utter  abomination ;  it  is  adultery, 
a  being  joined  to  two,  viz.  the  Law  and  Christ,  and  being  false  to 
both :  and  this  religious  generation  (the  earth)  is  an  adulterous 
generation  !  If  a  man  does  not  entirely  receive  Christ  to  do  all  for 
him,  and  he  himself  to  do  nothing,  the  whole  law  is  not  fulfilled,  and 
he  cannot  be  saved  :  he  totally  rejects  and  denies  Christ  by  only 
partially  receiving  him,  and  is  an  infidel :  he  totally  violates  the  law 
by  only  partially  obeying  it,  and  is  a  transgressor  and  is  cursed  ! 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD. 


33 


(such  is  the  earth,)  and  it  brings  forth  thorns  and  is  nigh  unto  burn- 
ing, for  these  are  they  who  sin  wilfully  (Hebrews,  x.  26,  27.) 
Wherefore,  and  be  it  again  and  again  repeated,  a  man  cannot  be 
saved,  except  the  law  is  perfectly  and  completely  fultilled :  sin  and 
malice  are  no  jest,  and  the  law  which  taketh  just  and  sure  vengeance, 
is  no  jest  neither  !     Woe  to  them  who  trifle  with  these  ! 

Jesus  Christ  the  Son  of  God  came  for  the  express  purpose,  and 
was  delivered  unto  death  that  he,  even  he  (not  we)  might  destroy  the 
works  of  the  devil !  (1  John,  iii.  8.)  But  if  nothing  need  be  done, 
then  Christ  need  not  have  died ;  and  if  we  could  do  what  yet  must 
be  done,  then  he  need  not  have  died  :  but  he  died  that  He  might  fulfil 
all  Righteousness,  even  the  whole  law  for  the  ungodly,  because  it 
was  impossible  for  them  through  their  wickedness  and  weakness  to 
do  it ;  and  yet  if  it  was  not  done,  it  was  impossible  for  them  to  be 
saved :  for  it  is  utterly  impossible  for  any  one  to  be  saved,  if  all  the 
law  is  not  fulfilled  perfectly. 

Therefore  Righteousness  is  to  be  done,  it  must  be  done,  there  is 
no  peace  or  salvation  without  it :  he  that  doeth  unrighteousness  is  of 
the  devil,  he  is  not  of  God  ;  and  he  that  does  not  hunger  and  thirst 
after  Righteousness,  even  real  Righteousness  in  deed,  not  in  word, 
does  not  desire  to  be  delivered  from  the  works  of  the  devil,  he  does 
not  want  or  care  for  Christ.  So  then  he  who  does  not  truly  desire 
to  be  delivered  from  all  his  own  evil  ways  in  every  respect  and  in  all 
things,  he  does  not  wish  to  be  saved,  he  does  not  look  to  be  saved, 
that  is,  he  does  not  believe,  and  he  cannot  possibly  be  saved !  God 
himself  could  not  save  him,  for  he  changes  not,  and  he  could  not 
break  the  law!  if  he  would,  that  cup  should  have  passed  from  Christ! 
and  therefore  if  a  man  does  not  wish  and  desire  to  have  Christ  alone, 
really  to  fulfil  all  the  law  for  him  and  save  him  completely  and  in 
very  deed  from  all  and  every  one  of  his  sins,  God  himself  cannot 
save  that  man !  he  does  not  believe,  that  is,  he  does  not  wish  to  be 
saved !  He  who  has  any  one  sin  however  small  in  his  own  eyes, 
which  he  does  not  long  to  be  delivered  from,  which  he  does  not  wish 
to  forsake,  he  loveth  unrighteousness  and  not  Righteousness,  he  does 
not  desire  Christ,  that  is  true  Righteousness,  he  does  not  wish  to  be 
saved,  he  does  not  want  deliverance,  he  loveth  wickedness,  he  does 
not  look  to  Christ  to  deliver  him :  in  a  word,  he  does  not  believe, 
and  he  cannot  possibly  be  saved  !  But  "  if  any  man  will  do,"  (that 
is,  wishes  to  do)  the  will  of  God,  (that  is,  Righteousness)  and  not  to 
do  the  will  of  the  flesh  "Ae  shall  knoio  the  doctrine  of  God,''''  (John, 
vii.  17)  he  shall  know  the  Salvation  of  God,  that  Christ  Jesus 
saveth  his  people  that  look  to  him,  doing  all  things  for  them,  even 
all  the  will  of  God,  delivering  them  from  sin,  and  they  have  nothing 
of  this  his  work  to  do  !  For  this,  even  this,  is  the  glorious  proclama- 
tion of  the  Gospel  of  the  living  God,  namely,  whosoever  really 
wishes  to  be  saved,  he  shall  infallibly  be  saved  !  If  a  man  wishes  to 
take  the  waters  of  life,  freely  (that  is,  gratuitously)  let  him  take ! 
and  he  shall  be  saved. 

Let  no  one  therefore  blindly  imagine  that  Christ  and  the  works  of 
darkness,  or  any  work  of  darkness,  can  possibly  have  any  union 
5 


34  THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD. 

together.  The  pooi*  and  needy  sinner  will  not  so  deceive  himself. 
Vile  and  unconquerable  as  are  his  lusts,  overwhelming  as  his  sins 
are,  over  and  over  again  that  he  has  fallen  under  them,  and  then  still 
more  over  and  over  again  that  he  has  fallen  under  them,  and  so 
always  be  has  gone  on,  continually  falling  under  them,  yet  he  longs 
to  be  delivered  from  them :  though  he  is  not  worthy  of  the  least  of 
all  God's  mercies  (Gen.  xxxii.  10),  though  his  sins  are  '■^  more  in 
number  than  the  hairs  of  his  head,''''  though  they  are  as  scarlet,  and 
he  "  is  a  beast  before  God,^''  yet  he  desires  to  be  delivered  from 
them,  he  abhors  himself.  His  misery  and  despair,  his  shame  and 
infamy  is,  that  it  is  utterly  impossible  for  him  to  overcome  them  and 
to  do  good,  that  he  is  in  prison  and  cannot  escape ;  he  knows  this  to 
be  the  case,  to  his  shame  and  sorrow,  he  knows  that  he  has  no 
Righteousness,  none  at  all !  Such  an  one  is  poor,  truly  poor,  and  if 
he  knows  it,  God  says  the  Psalmist  has  taught  him  this  out  of  his 
law,  and  he  is  blessed !  also  he  is  needy,  because  he  is  in  need,  he 
would  fain  have  Righteousness,  he  wants  it,  he  longeth  for  it,  this 
wisdom  also  cometh  from  God !  it  is  not  to  be  found  in  the  proud 
heart  of  man. 

Why  then  has  such  a  sinner,  if  he  believes,  nothing  to  do  1  Why 
is  he  saved,  doing  nothing,  but  only  looking  to  Christ?  Not  because 
he  may  continue  in  sin,  that  is,  not  be  saved  at  all,  (for  sin  is  death 
and  a  curse)  no,  God  forbid !  but,  he  has  nothing  to  do,  and  must  do 
nothing,  because  Christ  himself  has  undertaken  to  do  all,  and  will  do 
all  for  him  !  It  is  the  Promise,  the  Covenant  of  God  !  He  will  do 
it  himself,  personally  and  alone  and  unassisted,  this  is  his  Covenant ! 
He  will  take  off  all  the  task  and  toil  from  the  captive  sinner,  he  will 
set  him  free  and  ease  him  of  all  his  hard  work,  he,  the  Christ,  will 
give  him  rest,  this  is  his  salvation !  This  is  why  the  sinner  has 
nothing  to  do,  even  because  there  is  nothing  to  be  done  by  him, 
when  Christ  does  all !  Yea,  he  himself  will  do  all  and  every  thing, 
he  alone,  and  unassisted,  the  sinner  doing  nothing  at  all,  only  desiring 
him  to  do  it,  only  trusting  to  him ;  "  the  battle  is  not  yours  but 
God's  /"    O  !  the  unspeakable  riches  of  Christ  I 

Christ  will  do  all  this  because  of  his  Promise,  confirmed  by  an 
oath,  and  because  of  his  rich  grace  and  unspeakable  mercy.  It  is 
the  mere  mercy  of  God — it  is  out  of  his  mere  mercy  that  he  hath 
promised,  and  that  he  doeth  all  for  us.  He  will  do  it,  (he  is  faithful 
and  hath  spoken)  for  every  poor  captive  laden  with  the  utmost  load 
of  iniquity  and  uncleanness,  who  only  looks  to  him  to  do  it,  who  truly 
desires  him  to  do  it,  that  is,  who  believes.  "  Come  unto  me,  he  says, 
and  I  will  give  you  Rest  /"  and  he  says,  "  Whosoever  cometh  unto 
me,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out.''"' 

So  that  the  sinner  has  nothing  to  do,  because  it  is  unnecessary  and 
superfluous  that  he  should  do  any  thing  whatever,  since  all  is  done 
for  him,  since  such  a  "  Mighty  God  and  WonderfuV  is  with  him, 
graciously  condescending  to  do  for  him  all  that  should  bo  done,  even 
all  the  perfect  Righteousness  which  the  law  declares.  If  the  wicked 
sinner  was  good  and  not  bad,  and  then  could  do  good,  there  would  be 
nothing  whatever  for  him  to  do  when  a  better  than  he  did  all  and 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD.  35 

every  thing,  lacking  nothing :  how  much  less  therefore  is  there  any 
thing  to  do  when  he  is  bad,  and  being  so  bad,  can  and  does  only 
bring  forth  that  which  is  exceedingly  bad  1 

Therefore,  "  Believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shall  BE 
SAVED,"  thou  shalt  not  have  any  thing  to  do,  that  is  to  save  thy- 
self. And  thou  shalt  be  saved  in  very  deed,  sin  shall  not  have 
dominion  over  you :  you  shall  be  saved  from  your  sins  by  the  grace 
of  Christ ;  it  is  a  favour  and  mercy  when  a  man  is  delivered  from 
the  power  of  sin;  a  favour  from  God  towards  him,  not,  as  the  earth 
(the  religious  professors)  wickedly  imagine  a  favour  from  him 
towards  God  :  God  forbid  !  It  does  no  good  to  God,  it  is  no  benefit 
to  him  when  we  do  not  commit  sin,  but  to  us  it  is  a  great  benefit,  a 
very  great  favour  from  God,  it  is  life  and  peace,  and  this  Grace  is 
what  God  gives  to  them  that  believe.  He  gives  it  to  all  of  them, 
more  or  less  as  it  pleaseth  him,  for  he  giveth  to  every  one  of  us  who 
believe  severally  as  he  will. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

The  Son  of  Perdition,  and  his  doctrine  ;  a  cry  against  the  Earth. 

By  his  death  and  sufferings  Christ  has  purchased  eternal  life  for 
all  them  who  (being  ordained  to  eternal  life,)  shall  believe  in  his 
name.  This  is  not  an  imperfect  nor  a  doubtful  purchase ;  he  not 
only  paid  enough,  he  ^^  paid  double  for  all  our  sins;^''  and,  also  he 
knew  those  whom  he  purchased  :  "  /  knoto  them.''''  The  purchase  is 
complete,  and  nothing  is  lacking,  nothing  is  to  be  done  by  him  who 
believes  to  further  the  finished  work  of  Christ.  But  they  who  labour, 
who  do  something  for  the  purchase  of  life,  when  Christ  himself  has 
finished  the  work,  are  either  totally  ignorant  of  the  existence  of 
such  a  Saviour  as  this,  or  if  they  have  heard  of  him,  they  totally 
deny  his  power  to  save :  for  it  is  impossible  to  believe  that  he  is  The 
Christ  and  Saviour,  if  a  man  says  there  is  something  still  that  ought 
to  be  done  for  this  salvation.  Christ  having  taken  all  that  the  sinner 
ought  to  do,  upon  himself,  and  since  the  law  cannot  be  broken,  he 
himself  having  fulfilled  it  for  them,  and  since  Righteousness  must 
positively  be  done,  he  himself  having  done  it,  and  ever  doing  it  for 
them  who  receive  him,  then  after  all  this,  to  say  that  any  Righte- 
ousness whatever  remains  to  be  done,  and  to  be  done  by  the  sinner, 
is  effectually  to  say  that  Jesus  Christ  is  no  Saviour  at  all,  and  that 
the  sinner  must  save  himself.  This  is  a  much  more  complete  and 
outrageous  denial  and  rejection  of  Christ  the  Lord  of  glory,  than 
they  were  guilty  of  who  spat  in  his  face  and  nailed  him  to  the  Cross. 

If  Christ  had  yet  left  any  thing  to  be  done  by"  the  sinner  that  be- 
lieves, there  could  be  no  salvation ;  for  if  it  were  ever  so  small  a 
thing,  there  could  not  be  salvation  if  it  were  not  done ;  and  it  is  cer- 
tain the  sinner  would  never  do  it,  (for  the  law  of  God  declares  that 
there  is  none  that  doeth  good,  no,  not  one,)  and  therefore  it  is  certain 
that  if  he  had  any  good  to  do,  he  would  never  do  it,  (for  to  do  good 
is  ijot  in  a  sinner,)  and  so  there  would  be  no  Salvation.     But  if  the 


36  THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD. 

law  of  God  were  false,  and  if  it  were  true  that  the  sinner  really  did 
good,  even  a  little  good,  then  it  would  not  be  Christ's  salvation,  it 
would  be  the  sinner's  own,  and  the  glory  of  it  would  be  his.  But 
again,  if  the  sinner  did  good,  how  would  he  be  a  sinner?  It  is  an 
absurd  contradiction ;  the  Scripture  makes  no  mention  of  good  sin- 
ners, that  is,  of  good  bad  men ;  man  is  not  half  good  and  half  a 
sinner;  he  is  a  sinner  ! 

Therefore,  and  for  ever  blessed  and  praised  be  our  God,  for  the 
good  news,  the  rich  grace ; — therefore  the  unhappy  sinner  that 
thirsteth  after  Righteousness,  has  not  got  to  do  any  good  whatever ! 
no,  not  the  least  jot  or  tittle.  "  OUR  RIGHTEOUSNESS  is  per- 
fect ;  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  that  is,  the  perfect  Saviour ;  he  has  done 
all,  he  doeth  all,  and  he  leaves  nothing  to  be  done  by  man,  wicked 
man,  to  assist  or  promote,  or  finish  his  perfect  salvation. 

The  wicked  being  full  of  deceit  and  deception,  pretend  to  say  that 
they  do  believe  that  Christ  has  done  all  and  that  his  salvation  is  a 
finished  and  perfect  salvation  !  Oh  yes  !  they  fully  believe  and  preach 
all  this!  but,  they  say,  the  sinner  must  do  something  in  order  to 
obtain  it ;  he  must  pray,  read  his  Bible,  search  the  Scriptures,  ask, 
seek,  knock,  use  means,  &c.,  and  then  the  sinner  will  get  it !  This 
is  their  main  doctrine,  this  is  their  strong  tower !  God  foreknew 
them  !  God  foresaw  their  wicked  shifts  and  evasions  to  overthrow 
his  Grace,  and  cast  Christ  down  from  his  excellency  ;  by  which  they 
would  pretend  to  believe,  while  they  crucified  afresh  the  Lord  of 
Glory.  He  foreknew  it  all,  that  they  would  sell  Christ  for  the  vile 
money,  the  base  consideration  of  the  abomination  of  human  prayers, 
and  duties,  and  something  to  be  done  by  the  beast !  knowing  them  of 
old,  he  called  them  and  their  whole  doctrine  collectively,  ages  before 
they  were  born,  "  the  Son  (f  Perdition  /"  (2  Thess.  ii.  3)  because  like 
Judas  the  Son  of  perdition,  pretending  greatly  to  love  the  Saviour,  to 
believe  in  him  and  to  follow  him,  yet,  while  they  kiss  him,  they  sell 
him ! 

They  willingly  are  ignorant,  that  though  he  who  thirsts  after 
Righteousness,  asks,  and  begs,  and  knocks,  yet  it  is  God  who  freely, 
i.  e.  gratuitously  gives  him  eternal  life,  and  not  for  praying  for  it, 
no;  but  for  nothing  I  freely!  Who  gives  it  him  only  because  it  is 
his  good  will  and  pleasure ;  even  because  he  is  very  very  gracious 
and  merciful;  who  gives  it  him  because  he  has  always  and  before 
the  world  began,  intended  and  proposed  to  give  it  him !  because  he 
has  chosen  him  to  give  it  him  !  because  he  has  loved  him  with  an 
everlastitng  love  !  and  this  elect  soul  prays,  because  it  is  the  Spirit 
of  God  which  makes  intercession  for  him  with  groaning  that  cannot 
be  uttered ;  it  is  not  he  a  beast  that  prays,  but  the  holy  Spirit  of 
God  which  is  given  to  him  and  is  in  him ! 

Wicked  man  is  so  fond  of  his  own  ways,  and  thinks  his  own  works 
of  so  much  value,  that  they  are  shocked  indeed  when  these  works 
Site  pronounced  to  be  altogether  vile  and  worthless :  yet  they  do  not 
ficruple  to  believe  that  Christ's  work  and  Righteousness  is  incom- 
plete and  insuflicient,  requiring  man's  help,  and  of  no  avail,  unless 
jnan  lends  a  hand  and  does  something  also.     This  is  to  think  highly 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD.  37 

of  man,  and  lightly  of  God  !  this  is  to  exalt  the  man  of  sin  above  the 
Lord  God  Almighty.  "  Wliatr''  say  they,  "  «re  we  to  sit  still  and 
do  nothing  1  are  we  not  to  do  good  1  are  we  not  to  pray  ?  Does  not 
God  say,  seek  and  ye  shall  Jind  ?  knock,  pray,  and  that  he  will  be  en- 
quired after  ?  This  (say  they)  shows  that  we  have  something  to  do, 
nothing  can  he  plainer  I  Thcnfore  we  must  use  means,  it  is  our  duty, 
it  is  the  command  of  God,  and  therefore,  after  all,  we  have  something 

to  do  r 

Thus  our  vile  and  proud  hearts  would  fain  turn  the  complete  gra- 
tuitousness, the  rich  grace  and  glorious  freeness  of  Christ's  salvation, 
into  terms  and  conditions;  "_yoM  must  hunger,  you  must  seek,  it  is  your 
duty,  that  is  the  condition,  that  is  the  money  to  he  paid :  you  must  ask 
and  pray,  and  then,  if  you  do  this,  if  you  do  this  (see,  you  must  do 
something)  then,  you  shall  be  saved  !  This  is  the  doctrine  of  the  Son 
of  Perdition !  satisfied  with  their  fleshly  reasoning,  they  sit  down 
pleased  with  the  necessary  conclusion,  that  after  all,  salvation  does 
depend,  in  spite  of  every  thing  to  the  contrary,  upon  our  doing  some- 
thing !  What  is  the  meaning  of  all  this  1  why,  nothing  more  than  that 
we  are  too  wicked,  too  proud  and  scornful,  to  receive  Christ !  no ! 
we  will  not  receive  him  freely !  we  will  buy  him,  we  will  pay  some- 
thing, at  all  events,  for  his  salvation !  something  however  paltry  we 
will  give,  that  it  may  not  be  entirely  his  salvation ;  the  very  act  of 
begging,  the  very  acknowledgment  that  we  want  this  salvation,  shall 
be  turned  into  a  consideration,  a  money,  for  which,  when  we  give  it, 
we  are  to  receive  this  Salvation !  And  since  God  says  that  it  shall 
be  wanted  by  those  who  receive  it,  therefore  we  will  make  our  very 
want  and  need  of  it,  a  condition,  a  cause,  a  money  which  produces 
it,  so  that  it  shall  not  be  God's  gratuitous  gift !  This,  all  this,  is 
what  the  heart  says  and  feels,  though  the  lips  may  not  utter  it,  but 
may  talk  deceitfully  of  Free  Grace  and  humility  !  This  is  the  doc- 
trine of  the  Son  of  Perdition  who  sells  Christ  for  something,  be  it 
ever  so  little ;  thus  the  Son  of  Perdition  preaches  and  calls  upon  the 
proud  and  sensual,  the  haters  of  God  and  enemies  of  Christ,  to  pay 
down  this  their  vile  money  !  "  Their  right  hand  is  full  of  bribes,'''' 
they  go  to  God  with  a  bribe  in  their  hand. 

This  idea  of  doing  something,  only  a  little,  yet  however  a  some- 
thing ;  and  something  for  God,  something  for  bis  Grace,  something 
for  his  mercy,  only  proceeds  from  the  most  desperate  and  diabolical 
wickedness,  from  the  most  brutish  ignorance,  veiled  under  the  appear- 
ance of  the  most  virtuous  intention. 

God,  who  hath  made  known  his  will,  the  law  of  all  right  to  man, 
and  hath  shown  that  they  should  love  one  another,  and  give  and  lend 
to  all  who  ask,  without  even  expecting,  much  more  without  taking 
any  thing  in  return — God !  who  in  his  righteous  law  strictly  forbids 
usury,  the  taking  any  thing  in  return, — does  He  expect,  or  will  he 
take  any  return  for  the  Grace  of  the  Gospel ! !  Will  He  take  re- 
ward 1  Will  He  be  recompensed  ?  Does  he  require  man  to  do  any 
thing,  any  the  least  thing,  any  thing  whatsoever  for  his  Grace  and 
goodness?  No  indeed!  Nothing!  Nothing!  nothing  whatever !  God 
will  take  no  recompense  !  (Joel,  iii.  4).    Woe  unto  them  that  recom- 


38  THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD. 

pense  God !  God  will  not  receive  any  prayers  in  the  shape  of  bribe 
or  payment  or  purchase,  for  his  rich  Grace  and  boundless,  boundless 
mercy  !  He  gives  !  he  gives  liberally  and  upbraideth  not !  He  gives 
not  like  man  !  he  gives  freely,  gratuitously,  for  nothing ! !  merely  of 
his  own  will  and  pleasure  ,•  only  because  he  is  good  and  gracious, 
only  because  He  will ;  and  when  he  will ;  and  where  he  will ;  and  to 
whom  he  will ;  and  as  he  will !  He  is  God  over  all.  They  to  whom 
he  will  give,  shall  want,  shall  hunger,  shall  long  after,  and  greatly 
desire  and  greatly  value  and  beg  for  the  Unspeakable  Gift,  which  he 
has  promised  without  exception  to  all  the  poor  and  needy,  the  hungry 
and  the  thirsty.  But  it  is  by  the  Holy  Ghost  which  God  gives,  that 
they  shall  want  and  pray. 

It  is  great  wisdom,  it  is  having  understanding  to  desire  and  cry 
out  for  this  blessed  salvation,  and  this  very  wisdom  comes  only  from 
him,  and  is  his  gift,  the  prayer  of  the  needy  is  the  work  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  of  God,  which  is  good  understanding  and  is  in  all  them  that 
really  pray,  whether  they  know  it  or  not. 

No  indeed !  God  will  not  be  recompensed  !  he  will  give ;  and  he 
can  receive  nothing  from  man.  The  austere  usurers  of  this  day, 
who  know  not  God,  how  good  he  is,  how  good  and  liberal  beyond 
what  even  they  who  are  round  his  throne  can  think  or  imagine, — 
they,  wicked  men,  say  they  know  he  is  just  like  themselves,  an  aus- 
tere man;  yea!  like  them,  reaping  where  he  has  not  sown,  and 
gathering  where  he  has  not  strewed  ;  that  is,  expecting  an  evil  help- 
less lost  sinner  to  do  some  good  :  yea,  like  them,  not  giving  but  sell- 
ing ;  like  them,  taking  payment,  and  pretending  that  what  they  are 
paid  for  is  a  mighty  liberality :  like  them  !  Churls,  harsh,  unforgiv- 
ing, unkind,  bigoted,  selfish,  greedy,  covetous,  haughty,  proud,  "  tliou 
thoughtest  that  I  was  altogether  such  an  one  as  thyself"  and  they 
preach  that  God  is  a  usurer  like  themselves!  and  therefore  they  are 
afiaid  of  the  rich  free  liberal  grace  and  bountifulness  of  the  Gospel 
to  sinners :  they  are  afraid,  they  think  there  will  be  danger  to 
"  Piety"  if  God's  Righteousness  is  known;  they  are  afraid,  and  they 
wrap  up  the  talent  of  the  Gospel,  the  one  talent,  even  the  little  they 
know  of  it,  they  are  afraid  of  it,  and  hide  it,  and  gain  no  cities  ;  not 
a  single  city  of  God,  no  tabernacle  which  he  inhabits  is  among 
them;  and  while  they  preach  usury  they  do  not  pay  it;  but  they  ought 
surely  themselves  to  pay  God  a  little  usury  when  they  preach  so 
much  to  their  miserable  hearers !  God  in  this  parable  (Matt.  xxv. 
24  to  27)  prophesied  of  and  described  the  teachers  and  preachers  of 
every  age  of  the  Christian  era,  and  in  the  last  of  them  he  has  de- 
scribed the  doctrine  of  this  last  and  wicked  day  ;  and  all,  before  ever 
there  was  yet  a  single  man  called  a  Christian  on  the  earth  ;  before 
ever  the  Christian  era  had  begun !  How  they  have  blasphemed  God, 
and  how  his  Name  is  blasphemed  among  men  through  them,  as  it  is 
written.  No  blasphemy  could  be  so  bad  as  that  of  representing  God 
to  be  like  unto  corruptible  man,  usurious !  a  violater  of  his  own  holy 
law  ;  exacting,  wanting  pay,  harsh,  unkind  !  Yea,  in  all  their  furious 
exhortations  to  "  do  good"  they  blaspheme  God  !  They  are  an  adul- 
terous generation  (being  married  and  bound  to  the  law,  and  death 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD.  3^ 

and  conviction  for  sin,  and  pretending  to  be  married  to  Christ,  while 
the  first  husband  is  yet  ahvc,  to  whom  also  they  deal  falsely)  they 
are  a  generation  of  vipers,  abominable,  fearful;  afraid  of  God's  truth 
and  goodness !  they  are  called  dogs,  (Philipps.  iii.  2)  for  they  neither 
eat  themselves,  nor  will  they  suffer  others  to  eat  of  the  rich  banquet 
of  the  Gospel :  they  snarl  over  the  gift  and  will  suffer  none  to  ap- 
proach it ;  they  fawn  and  flatter  and  look  kind  and  endearing  in 
order  to  get,  but  they  will  not  give  :  they  bite  and  devour  and  fight 
with  one  another,  and  horrible  madness  is  in  their  bite  when  they 
have  arrived  as  they  now  have  to  the  pitch  of  their  delusions,  going 
day  and  night  busy  and  bustling  and ; "  doing  good"  about  the  streets 
of  the  city,  that  great  city,  the  city  of  confusion,  perplexity  and 
darkness,  and  contradiction  and  controversies,  Babylon ;  which  is 
spiritually  called  Sodom  and  Egypt ;  Sodom,  because  of  its  gross  and 
abominable  perversion  of  the  plain  truth  ;  Egypt,  because  of  its  glory 
and  wealth,  and  refinement  and  learning,  and  darkness  and  Beast 
worship  :  a  city  in  which  our  Lord  has  been  crucified  afresh,  and  put 
to  an  open  shame  !  (Rev.  xi.)  God  knew  them,  the  Son  of  Perdition, 
the  bargainers  and  sellers  and  condition-makers,  even  them  and  all 
their  thoughts  before  the  foundation  of  the  world :  and  he  ordained 
them  to  the  just  condemnation  of  their  deeds  which  he  has  let  them 
alone  to  do,  and  given  them  power  to  do,  for  a  Time ;  but  this  Time 
of  the  Beast,  the  reign  of  man  and  his  doctrine,  the  man  of  sin,  is 
about  to  end,  it  shall  be  no  longer,  saith  the  Lord,  who  liveth  for 
ever  and  ever  !* 

*  The  whole  Time  of  the  Abomination,  or  the  Falling^  away  (2  Thess.  ii.  3)  or 
Antichrist  (1  John)  or  of  the  perilous  times  (Tim.)  is  1260  years:  as  is  expressly 
declared  over  and  over  again  in  the  Scriptures,  (Dan.  viii.  14 ;  Dan.  xii.  11 ;  Rev.  xi. 
2,3;  Rev.  xii.  6,14.) 

It  began  in  the  midst  of  the  first  700  years  afler  the  Roman  Prince  destroyed 
the  city  and  the  Sanctuary  :  this  700  years  is  called  a  week,  during  which  week 
the  Covenant  of  the  Promise  even  the  Gospel  of  God  was  confirmed  of  God  with 
many,  even  with  multitudes  of  Saints.  (Dan.  ix.  27.)  In  the  midst  of  this  week, 
the  Abomination  of  the  swine  flesh  oflTering  of  the  sacrifice  of  human  Righteous- 
ness, (which  is  not  Righteousness)  instead  of  the  pure  and  spotless  offering  of  the 
Lamb  of  God,  was  set  up,  and  the  latter,  (the  only  true  oblation  strongly  figured 
forth  in  the  oblation  under  the  first  dispensation)  was  taken  away;  God  himself 
took  it  away  from  the  Earth,  because  they  trampled  the  pearl  under  foot,  (Malt, 
vii.  6.) 

Daring  all  this  Time  of  Abomination,  the  glory  of  the  Gospel  has  been  dimmed, 
(the  Sun  has  been  darkened)  but  yet  it  has  shone  at  some  periods  with  some  degree 
of  light  until  this  day,  when  the  two  witnesses  are  slain,  having  finished  their  tes- 
timony :  (Rev.  xi.  7.)  Now  the  Beast,  the  man  of  Sin,  the  Son  of  Perdition  has 
triumphed,  and  neither  the  Gospel  nor  the  Law  of  God  are  preached,  but  lies  and 
human  works,  and  the  Doctrine  of  the  Son  of  Perdition  instead  of  the  Gospel,  and 
foolish  deeds  of  silly  screaming  piety  and  trifling  observances  and  abstinences,  in- 
stead  of  the  law ;  all  is  darkness,  gross  darkness  over  the  Earth,  (that  is,  the  reli- 
gious world)  and  the  Sea  and  the  waves  roar  (that  is,  the  irreligious  world  and  its 
chiefs  are  insolent  and  audacious  in  their  blasphemy):  gross  darkness  covereth  the 
people,  and  in  the  spiritual  land  of  Egypt  there  is  a  darkness  which  can  be  felt. 
And  now  God  in  Christ  will  appear,  and  the  Time  shall  be  no  longer. 


40  THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

To  believe  only  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  then  afterwards  to  worlr,  is  fall- 
ing- from  Grace  ;  it  is  after  being  washed  to  return  to  icallowing 
in  the  mire. 

It  is  only  when  a  sinner  believes,  from  and  after  he  believes,  that 
Christ  doeth  all  for  him,  and  he  hath  nothing  to  do  :  before  he  believes 
he  has  every  thing  to  do,  all  Righteousness  to  do,  and  is  cursed  if  he 
does  not  do  it. 

God  hath  turned  the  earth  (the  religious  world)  upside  down:  it 
reels  to  and  fro  like  a  drunkard ;  for  they  preach  the  very  reverse 
(the  upside  down)  of  God's  truth,  saying  that  after  a  man  believes 
then  he  has  something  to  do !  then  he  has  got  to  do  good  !  this  is  to 
frustrate  the  Grace  of  God :  this  is  saying  that  before  any  one  be- 
lieves there  is  Grace,  (when  there  is  not ;  there  is  nothing  but  con- 
demnation to  them  that  do  not  yet  believe)  but  that  when  he  believes 
then  there  is  no  grace,  then  he  has  got  to  do  good,  that  is,  to  work 
Righteousness !  whereas  then  only  there  is  Grace,  then  only  there  is 
no  condemnation,  because  then  only  he  has  nothing  whatever  to  do, 
and  cannot  have  condemnation  having  nothing  to  be  condemned  for, 
then  he  is  under  Grace,  and  God  will  do  all  Righteousness  in  him 
and  for  him. 

The  sinner  believing,  hath  nothing  now  to  do ;  but  he  who  does 
not  yet  believe  has  every  thing  to  do ;  and  woe  unto  them  who  de- 
spise God's  law,  who  do  not  obey  it,  who  diminish  aught  from  it,  or 
add  any  thing  to  it,  or  put  one  jot  or  tittle  of  any  thing  instead 
of  it ! 

If,  when  a  man  has  received  the  word,  it  may  be  with  joy  ;  if  he 
begins  "  to  do,"  if  he  turn  back  to  the  law,  and  tries  to  do  good,  that 
is  to  obtain  Righteousness ;  then  he  has  fallen  from  Grace,  Christ 
will  profit  him  nothing,  he  is  under  sin!  This  is  the  falling  away 
which  has  taken  place ;  they  have  fallen  from  Grace ;  and  for  now 
nearly  1260  years  have  been  seeking  to  "  do  good"  that  is  to  get 
Righteousness  by  following  the  law  which  is  seeking  Righteousness, 
and  that  is  seeking  to  be  justified  by  the  law.  (Gal.  v.  4.)  This  is 
not  the  faith  of  God's  elect,  of  those  who  endure  to  the  end,  this  is 
the  sinning  wilfully  after  receiving  the  knowledge  of  the  truth  and 
despising  Christ,  even  turning  back  from  him  to  the  law,  and  not 
deeming  Christ  able  alone  to  save.  "  If  any  man  turn  back  saith  the 
Lord,  my  sovl  shall  have  no  pleasure  in  him."  Having  believed,  the 
sinner  is  still  to  believe,  and  not  go  back  to  the  mud  and  mire  of  his 
working  and  doing;  after  he  believes,  he  must  believe  (1  John,  v.  13) 
yea,  and  stand  fast  in  the  faith,  that  is  in  believing  and  doing  no- 
thing, only  trusting  to  Christ,  and  continue  in  doing  nothing  only 
believing.  Having  ceased  from  all  his  works  and  doing  nothing,  but 
looking  only  to  God  to  do  all  for  him,  he  is  to  continue  to  ceose  from 
all  his  works,  yea,  to  stand  fast  and  be  strong  in  doing  nolhing  and 
not  to  fall  away.  This  only  is  walking  after  the  Spirit:  to  have  some- 
thing to  do  is  being  after  the  flesh,  and  is  death :  to  have  God  to  do 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD.  41 

all  for  us  is  life  and  peace,  because  He  alone  truly  does ;  they  that 
are  after  the  flesh  say  and  do  not. 

Therefore  before  a  man  believes,  he  has  all  the  law  to  fulfil,  all 
good  to  do  ;  but  after  he  believes  in  the  name  of  the  Son  of  God,  con- 
tinuing only  to  believe,  he  has  no  good  to  do !  Blessed  for  ever 
blessed  be  God  for  his  unspeakable  gift  of  Righteousness  by  Jesus 
Christ!  Believe,  and  let  Christ  be  all  your  Righteousness,  and  still 
believe,  and  let  him  only  be  your  Righteousness,  and  then  still  only 
believe,  and  let  God  alone  work  Righteousness  for  you.  And  what 
then?  Why  then,  go  on  to  cease  doing  and  working,  to  be  altogether 
purged  from  all  your  works,  and  to  rest,  (not  turning  back  again  to 
the  mire  and  mud  of  human  righteousness,)  and  only  believe.  (1  John, 
V.  13.)  That  is,  in  other  words,  receive  his  vast  blessing  and  good- 
ness, and  then  still  receive;  and  what  then?  why  then  go  on  still  to 
receive,  thanking  him  and  praising  Him  for  such  unutterable  good- 
ness !  There  is  always  more  to  receive  than  we  can  have  any  idea 
of,  the  love,  the  Grace  of  Christ  passeth  knowledge,  and  the  more  a 
man  ceaseth  from  himself  and  trusteth  to  Christ,  the  more  still  he 
will  continue  to  know  of  the  grace  and  power  and  righteousness  of 
God,  and  of  that  peace  which  passeth  all  understanding.  This  is  to 
grow  in  Grace,  and  to  become  stronger  and  stronger  in  "  tlie  Grace 
that  is  in  Christ  Jcsiis,^^  it  is  becoming  weaker  and  weaker  in  our- 
selves !  for,  says  the  Apostle  to  this  effect,  when  we  are  most  weak 
then  we  are  most  strong  !  "  Let  the  weak  say  I  am  strong,'"  saith  the 
Prophet. 

The  sinner  who  believes  and  casts  all  upon  Christ,  has  nothing  to 
fear :  he  need  not  be  anxious,  he  need  not  use  any  effort  or  exertion, 
he  must  cease  from  all  this,  and  forsake  all  hope  in  it,  let  him  only 
turn  his  eyes  to  Christ,  and  the  serpent's  bite  shall  be  cured,  and  the 
serpent  shall  bite  him  no  more.  He  has  found  his  enemies  too 
strong  for  him  while  he  tried  to  overcome  them,  but  when  he  tries 
no  longer  and  casts  the  burden  entirely  upon  Christ,  then  (but  never 
till  then)  he  will  find  that  Christ  is  the  Power  of  God,  and  greater  is 
Jesus  Christ  who  is  in  him  (1  John,  44)  than  he  who  is  in  the 
world.  He  will  find  that  Christ  is  the  Power  of  the  Mighty  God, 
who  created  heaven  and  earth  and  the  sea  and  all  that  in  them  is. 
He  who  beUeves,  will,  standing  still,  beliold  this  salvation  from  sin 
and  the  devil ;  a  little,  if  he  has  a  little  faith,  and  much  if  he  has 
greater  faith.  But  he  who  works  and  tries  to  do  good,  following  the 
law  as  the  rule  of  life  (and  indeed  it  is  a  rule  of  life,  and  woe  to  those 
who  being  bound  by  this  holy  rule,  do  not  fidly  obey  it  in  all  things  !) 
— he  is  under  the  law  and  under  condemnation  and  under  guilty-con- 
viction for  sin ;  he  has  no  faith  at  all,  no  not  the  least,  he  knows  (till 
now)  nothing  of  it,  all  his  talk  and  feelings  and  ecstacies  of  love  and 
joy  and  glory,  are  fleshly  puffings  up  and  swellings  of  Satan,  like 
the  swelling  produced  by  the  bite  of  a  serpent ;  they  are  dreams 
filthy  dreams,  he  is  in  bondage  and  death.  And  also,  he  who  con- 
tinues the  servant  of  unrighteousness,  and  is  not  translated  from  the 
power  of  Satan  to  the  Kingdom  of  God,  but  loveth  the  world  and  the 
things  that  are  in  it,  serving  divers  lusts,  and  wishing  after  houses  or 
6 


42  THE  GOSPKL  OF  GOl). 

money,  or  honour  and  respectability,  he  has  not  heheved,  for  he  is 
not  saved,  and  it  is  impossible  to  look  to  Christ  and  not  to  be  savod. 
Christ  came  on  purpose  to  save  his  people  from — their  sins,  which 
are  death  and  curse  and  present  torment  and  everlasting  destruction. 
He  who  does  not  wish  to  be  saved  from  every  sin,  does  not  believe, 
for  to  believe  in  Christ  is  to  wish  to  be  saved  from  sin  and  to  be  filled 
with  Righteousness,  and  to  trust  to  him  alone  for  all  this. 

As  in  the  wilderness  those  among  the  dying  people  who  did  not 
recover  and  live  were  only  those  who  would  not  turn  their  eyes  upon 
the  brazen  serpent  which  Moses  lifted  up,  so  they  who  look  not  to 
him  who  has  taken  upon  himself  the  form  of  sinful  man,  they  are  not 
saved.  But  as  then,  whosoever  merely  looked  at  it,  were  healed, 
without  their  stirring  a  step,  or  so  much  as  moving  the  little  finger, 
so  now,  whosoever  lying  in  the  death  of  sin,  only  looks  to  him,  he  is 
and  shall  ever  be  completely  saved  from  that  horrible  death.  There- 
fore, if  a  man  says  he  believes  in  Christ,  and  continues  to  serve 
divers  lusts,  or  any  one  lust,  he  is  a  liar ;  he  hath  not  looked  to 
Him,  nor  believed  in  him.  A  servant  of  sin  is  under  the  law,  though 
he  may  profess  to  be  free  from  it ;  its  curse  and  condemnation  is 
upon  him.  When  we  are  led  by  the  Spirit  (that  is,  submit  to  God 
and  have  Him  to  work  and  do  all  for  us)  then  only  we  are  not  under 
the  law;  not  when  we  say  we  are  not  under  it.  (Gal.  v.  IH.)  The 
Gospel  of  Christ  is  not  in  word,  but  in  power :  not  in  saying,  but  in 
doing :  not  in  what  man  says,  but  in  what  God  does.  None  who  are 
in  Christ  are  in  the  kingdom  of  Satan,  they  are  under  grace,  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven,  from  whence  Christ  has  cast  out  Satan.  There- 
fore, let  every  one  that  nameth  the  name  of  Christ,  depart  from  all 
iniquity.  Now,  he  who  believes,  will  do  this,  not  by  doing  any  thing 
whatever  himself,  God  forbid  !  but  by  standing  still,  believing  and 
trusting  in  Christ ;  He  is  faithful,  and  such  an  one,  whatever  he  be, 
shall  behold  the  salvation  of  God  ! 

When  it  is  said  that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  takes  all  the  doing 
upon  himself,  and  the  sinner  hath  to  stand  still  believing  only ;  it  is 
true ;  for  he  verily  is  Tlie  Christ ;  he  is  the  King  of  Israel,  and 
fights  all  their  battles  for  his  people,  and  goeth  in  and  out  before 
them  and  leadeth  them :  he  came  for  this  very  purpose, — to  save  ! 
entirely,  completely  and  perfectly,  himself,  to  save  us !  and  if  he 
who  believes  in  this  glorious  King  and  Saviour  has  still  got  this 
work  or  any  of  this  work  to  do,  then  it  is  evident  he  hath  come  in 
vain,  for  that  part  which  the  sinner  had  to  do,  if  he  had  any  thing  to 
do,  would  never  be  done  !  But  let  it  not  be  supposed  that  He  is  like 
unto  fleshly  man  and  has  any  difficulty  or  hard  work  to  perform :  far 
from  it!  He  is  Righteousness  himself,  all  is  done  in  him!  That 
which  we  have  found  painful,  difficult,  irksome  and  impossible,  is  not 
a  difficulty  to  Him.  He  is  Lord  over  all !  all  obey  him ;  he  is  the 
Power  of  God,  and  that  is  Almighty :  not  a  word,  not  a  thought,  not 
a  man  nor  a  devil  can  stir  or  move  or  exist,  but  at  his  pleasure  !  He 
seeth,  thousands  of  years  before  men  are  born,  the  thoughts  they 
will  think,  those  which,  out  of  thcur  much  evil,  he  will  give  them 
liberty  to  think  and  imagine :  he  hath  revealed  the  very  thoughts  of 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD.  43 

this  evil  generation  ages  before.  He  is  the  Mighty  God,  by  him  all 
things  subsist,  by  him  all  things  were  made  which  are  made !  Ail 
that  is  required  therefore  to  have  and  to  know  this  glorious  salvation, 
is  faith  only  to  believe,  that  is,  only  to  want  it  and  take  it  !  "  Who- 
soever wishes  (or  will)  let  him  take  of  the  ivaters  of  life  freely  /" 
"  Let  him  that  is  athirst  come." 

How  different  is  this  Gospel  of  God  from  that  false  gospel  which 
the  serpent  preaches,  viz.  "  if  YOU  do  this  thing,  and  if  YOU  do 
that  thing,  you  will  go  to  heaven ;  or  rather  you  may  possibly  go 
there,  you  may  even  "  trust"  that  you  will  get  there  !  and  after  all,  it 
is  very  doubtful,  unless  you  (tvho  are  evil)  fail  not  to  do  a  great  deal 
of  goody  Woe  unto  them  !  Woe  !  Woe  unto  them  !  for  whereas 
they  will  not  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  themselves,  neither 
will  they  suffer  those  that  are  entering  in  to  go  there !  And  yet, 
preaching  such  abomination  as  this  they  dare  to  talk  of  "  free  Grace" 
and  the  "  dear  Redeemer  !"  Well  hath  God  called  them  the  Son  of 
Perdition ! 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Christ  is  the  Sabbath. 

Christ  is  spoken  of  in  the  Scriptures  as  the  day,  the  day  of  the 
Lord ;  because  he  is  the  Light,  out  of  him  all  is  night  and  darkness. 
He  is  the  Day  of  Rest,  the  Sabbath  of  God,  because  he  is  the  Rest. 

The  law  testifies  of  him  and  preaches  what  this  book  contains,  viz. 
only  believe,  rest  and  do  nothing,  saying  "  Remember  that  thou  keep 
holy  the  Sabbath  day,"  that  is,  profane  it  not  by  doing  any  of  thy 
works.  "  The  seventh  day  is  the  Sabbath,  (the  Rest)  of  the  Lord 
thy  God,  in  it  thou  shalt  do  no  manner  of  work."  Because  this  day, 
a  figure  and  shadow  of  Christ,  was  God's  rest,  in  this  day  was  his 
joy  and  he  hallowed  it,  and  would  not  have  it  to  be  profaned  by  any 
manner  of  work  of  evil  man.  That  is,  in  Christ  is  his  delight,  in 
him  he  is  well  pleased,  in  Him  they  who  believe  do  rest  from  all 
their  works,  and  are  blessed ;  they  are  blessed  in  him  the  seed  of 
Abraham.  David  speaking  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  says  "  This  is  the 
Day  which  the  Lord  hath  made,  we  will  be  glad  and  rejoice  in  it." 
The  Prophet  Isaiah  speaking  of  the  Sabbath  expressly  shows  that  it 
is  not  a  day  of  the  week,  but  it  is  Him,  viz.  Christ,  of  whom  the 
Sabbath  is  a  shadow,  a  pattern  given  to  Moses  of  things  then  in 
heaven.  (Is.  Iviii.  13.)  Believing  in  Christ  the  day  of  Rest,  we  enter 
into  rest,  and  have  no  works  to  do,  we  only  keep  the  Sabbath,  we 
only  believe  in  Christ  by  doing  nothing.  Nothing  can  be  plainer 
than  this  Truth,  we  who  believe  have  Rest,  we  have  nothing  to  do, 
and  must  do  nothing  ! 

Christ  himself  says  of  himself,  "  Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  are 
weary  and  heavy  laden,  and" — not  I  will  tell  you  to  do  something, 

but "  /  will  give  you  Rest,"  that  is,  I  will  do  all  things  for  you, 

3'ou  shall  have  nothing  to  do.  Since  man  is  only  evil,  and  that  con- 
tinually, what  a  blessed  and  glorious  and  gracious  gospel  this  is  for 


44  THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD. 

such  a  miserable  creature,  viz.  that  he  has  not  got  any  good  to  do ! 
His  sin  and  his  curse  is,  that  he  does  not  do  good,  the  good  news  is, 
that  he  has  not  got  it  to  do,  Jesus  Christ  does  it  all  for  liim.  By  the 
law  a  man  has  to  do  good,  and  he  who  does  good,  that  is  Righteous- 
ness, really,  truly,  and  at  all  times,  he  shall  save  his  soul  alive,  he 
himself  is  a  Saviour :  but,  by  the  Gospel  of  Grace,  he  who  receives 
this  Gospel  has  nothing  to  do,  for  Christ  in  his  love  and  pity  does 
all,  he  saves,  and  he  is  the  Saviour.  The  law  tells  what  good  is,  and 
what  must  be  done,  but  that  is  all,  it  leaves  you  to  do  it,  and  you 
must  do  it  or  suffer  all  its  penalty,  else  it  is  no  law  at  all,  it  is  a  lie. 
But  Christ  himself  does  all  the  work  for  them  that  believe,  he  leaves 
them  nothing  to  do,  he  does  it,  or  else  it  would  be  no  Grace  at  all,  it 
would  be  a  law,  if  there  was  any  work  at  all  to  do.  (Rs.  xi.  6.)  Thus 
all  that  the  law  says  the  Gospel  does,  and  thus  (iod  honours  and 
establishes  the  law  by  Jesus  Christ.  They  who  follow  the  law,  say 
and  do  not ;  they  who  believe  only  and  do  nothhig  they  do  every 
thing  and  fulfil  the  law,  that  is  by  Christ,  who  does  all  for  them,  and 
imputes  it  all  to  them.  Since  under  the  law  it  is  man  who  has  to 
do,  and  he  does  not  do  it,  it  is  called  the  weakness  of  man ;  but  since 
under  Grace,  it  is  God  who  does  all,  the  Gospel  is  called  what  it 
truly  is,  "  the  Power  of  God.'''' 

Not  only  he  who  believes  has  nothing  to  do,  but  he  must  do  no- 
thing. It  is  not  left  to  the  sinner,  that  if  he  chooses  he  has  got 
nothing  to  do,  it  is  imperative,  it  is  the  fixed  declaration  of  God,  they 
who  will  do  their  own  works,  who  pollute  his  holy  Sabbath,  who  de- 
spise his  Christ  by  mixing  up  their  works  with  his  works,  their  filthy 
Righteousness  with  his  glorious  Righteousness,  they  cannot  be  saved. 
Here  is  faith,  not  doing  any  thing,  not  seeking  to  do  the  least  thing 
whatsoever,  but  forsaking  it  all  and  trusting  entirely  to  God  :  then, 
that  God  does  all  for  us,  leaving  us  nothing  to  do,  this  is  His  Grace 
and  love  !  The  Sabbath  is  a  shadow  of  Christ,  and  God  would  not 
have  the  shadow  despised,  how  much  less  therefore  will  he  sutler  the 
very  substance  to  be  despised  ?  It  is  to  despise  Christ  and  his 
Grace  not  to  cease  entirely  from  our  work ;  to  look  to  him  for 
Righteousness,  while  wc  are  trying  to  do  Righteousness  ourselves,  is 
to  declare  by  facts  that  we  do  not  hope  in  his  Righteousness  alone, 
nor  think  it  quite  sufficient.  Therefore  he  who  says  "  do  good"  and 
professes  to  follow  Christ  at  the  same  time  is  an  infidel,  a  despiser  of 
Christ  in  whom  he  does  not  believe,  and  a  despiser  of  the  law  which 
he  does  not  obey  fully.  If  therefore  a  man  preach  all  the  doctrines 
of  the  Gospel  and  afterwards  add  "  noio  you  must  do  good,''''  he 
preaches  not  Christ,  he  preaches  not  the  Gospel,  he  despises,  mocks 
and  dishonours  Christ  and  God,  he  is  an  infidel  and  not  a  believer. 
A  little  leaven  leavoneth  the  whole  lump,  and  it  is  better  for  those 
who  know  nothing  of  the  truth,  and  never  heard  of  Christ,  than  for 
those  who  have  heard  and  known  and  been  washed,  and  then  despised 
him,  and  returned  to  wallow  in  the  mire  and  filth  of  their  own  righte- 
ousness, which  is  not  righteousness,  but  is  an  abomination.  He  that 
despised  Moses'  law  perished  without  mercy  ;  much  less  is  there 
mercy  for  those  who  despise  Christ  and  honour  their  own  Righteous- 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD.  45 

ness  or  pietv.  If  a  man  but  picked  up  a  few  sticks  on  the  Sabbath, 
he  was  to  be  stoned,  for  he  profaned  and  polluted  and  despised  the 
Sabbath,  the  shadow  of  Clnist,  the  Rest  of  God.  So  also,  if  a  man 
do  but  add  one  jot  or  tittle  of  his  work  to  Christ's  work,  he  despises, 
he  dishonours  Christ,  and  therefore  "  of  how  much  sorer  punishment 
shall  he  be  thought  worthj/  /"'  Nay  let  his  works  appear  to  man  to 
be  most  excellent  and  pure  and  pious,  they  are  an  abomination,  an 
utter  abomination  before  God,  they  are  an  offering  of  swine's  flesh, 
and  he,  though  ever  so  much  like  a  lamb,  is  an  enemy,  a  despiser  of 
Christ,  though  as  the  Son  of  Perdition  also  did,  he  may  pretend  to 
love  him,  and  kiss  him  !  God  is  not  mocked  !  "  Behold,  ye  despisersy 
and  wonder  and  perish  ;  I  brintr  neur  ]\b/  Righteous  ness  /"  It  will 
not  do  to  give  some  honour  to  Christ :  partly  to  trust,  partly  to  be- 
lieve, is  not  to  trust  nor  believe  at  all :  partly  to  keep  the  Sabbath, 
and  partly  to  be  busy  at  work,  is  not  to  honour  this  glorious  Rest  of 
God !  A  little  leaven,  be  it  ever  so  little,  leaveneth  the  whole 
lump ! 

What  shall  we  say  then  of  those  religious  despisers  of  Christ  and 
admirers  of  the  piety  of  man,  sinful  man,  who  preach  a  little  grace 
and  a  great  deal  of  doing ;  who  tell  the  sinner  that  he  must  try  and 
use  means  and  do  some  of  their  little  pious  actions,  and  then,  yes 
then,  if  they  do  it  with  great  humility  and  devotedness,  then  God 
will  assist  them  with  his  Grace  !  then,  on  paying  very  carefully  this 
vile  money,  they  will  have  the  assistance  of  the  Holy  Ghost !  "  Thy 
money  perish  with  thee,  xcho  has'  thought  that  the  gift  of  God  could 
he  piirchased  /"  Thus  they  blasphemously  teach  that  God  is  not 
good  except  dependently,  that  is,  only  if  man  first  shows  himself 
good !  but  if  this  beast  does  not  first  put  forth  his  goodness,  then 
God  is  not  good,  then  there  is  no  grace !  So  that  God's  goodness 
and  Power  and  Grace  and  Salvation  depend  entirely  upon  vile  and 
filthy  and  impotent  man !  Yea !  it  is  a  bargain  and  sale ;  they  go 
forth  on  the  black  horse  of  fleshly  pride  and  strength,  with  the  pair 
of  balances  in  their  hands,  and  preach  if  man  will  give  something 
then  God  will  give  something !  and  they  pretend  to  hide  their  wick- 
edness and  to  appear  to  honour  God  by  saying  what  a  great  deal  he 
will  give,  and  how  good  it  is  of  him  to  sell  so  much  for  so  little  ! 
They  (the  generation  of  the  religious  of  this  day)  are  called  the  Son 
of  Perdition  !  (2  Thess.  ii.  3.)  And  how  justly  and  appropriately  !  this 
one  name  is  itself  a  full  and  complete  description!  they  bargain  for 
and  sell  Christ !  they  follow  him  and  pretend  to  love  him  !  they  call 
him  the  Dear  Redeemer  and  kiss  him !  while  they  sell  him  !  they 
are  also  like  him  a  covetous  generation  and  greedy  money-gatherers ! 
Do  they  imagine  that  God  is  like  unto  them  1  that  he  knoweth  not, 
and  regardeth  not?  Yea!  He  knew  them  and  their  thoughts  long 
before,  and  has  by  his  holy  apostles  and  prophets  declared  and  writ- 
ten down  all  their  works  and  their  triumph,  and  their  glory  which 
they  should  exhibit  in  these  last  days ! 


46  THE  GOSPEL  OP  GOD. 

CHAPTER  X. 

The  Everlasting  Covenant,  and  The  Blessing,  in  the  seed  of  Abraham. 

God  made  an  everlasting  covenant  with  Abraham,  and  established 
it  for  ever  by  an  oath.  In  this  covenant  he  promised  that  in  the 
seed  of  Abraham,  in  One  who  should  spring  from  his  loins,  nations 
and  people  of  all  the  earth  should  be  blessed.  Therefore  he  called 
Abraham  a  father  of  many  nations,  even  of  all  that  should  be  blessed 
in  Christ  the  seed  of  Abraham. 

Here  was  a  covenant  in  which  God  undertook  to  do  himself  every 
thing  that  was  in  the  covenant,  and  that  was,  to  bless !  It  was  a 
Promise  which  God  made,  that  he  would  bless  Abraham  and  many 
others,  and  he  confirmed  it  by  an  oath  for  an  everlasting  covenant 
which  should  never  be  broken.  After  this  everlasting  covenant, 
another  was  made  at  Horeb,  when  Moses  gave  the  fiery  law,  and  in 
this  second  covenant,  which  was  neither  confirmed  by  oath,  nor  called 
Everlasting,  it  was  man  who  had  to  perform  every  thing.  God's 
covenant  was  a  Promise,  "  I  will  be  your  God,  I  will  bless  you." 
The  covenant  which  Moses  made  with  the  people  was,  "  We  will 
obey  and  be  thy  people."  This  covenant  was  broken  the  moment  it 
was  made,  and  a  broken  covenant  is  not  an  everlasting  covenant. 

God's  covenant  cannot  be  broken,  because  in  it,  God  alone  and  by 
himself  has  undertaken  to  perform,  and  has  promised  that  he  will. 
No  blessing  has  ever  been  found  from  the  covenant  of  Mount  Sinai, 
for  all  have  violated  that  law  and  broken  that  covenant.  God  would 
show  by  this,  that  having  violated  the  covenant  in  which  we  are  per- 
formers, we  must  look  for  a  Blessing  only  from  the  covenant  in 
which  he  alone  is  the  performer :  we  must  expect  every  thing  from 
Him,  and  nothing  from  ourselves ;  we  must  hope  all  from  his  Ever- 
lasting covenant  and  Promise,  and  hope  nothing  in  our  broken  cove- 
nant and  in  our  doings  and  duties. 

It  was  fit  that  God  having  undertaken  and  promised  to  bless  all  the 
children  of  Abraham  (and  they  arc  of  all  people  and  nations,  for  he 
was  named  the  father  of  many  nations)  and  having  promised  to  bless 
all  these  children  of  faithful  Abraham  not  in  the  law,  nor  on  account 
of  any  thing  they  should  do,  (for  in  this  His  covenant  there  is 
nothing  which  they  have  to  do)  but  in  Christ  who  should   be  of  the 

seed  of  Abraham, it  was  fit  that  God  having  alone  undertaken  to 

do  all  that  was  to  be  done  in  this  Everlasting  covenant,  should  teach 
us  by  another  covenant  that  there  is  no  hope  at  all  but  in  his  per- 
formance, that  so  our  hope  and  trust  might  he  in  God  altogether  and 
not  in  man !  It  was  fit  that,  in  order  to  know  God's  Power  and  love 
we  should  learn  and  know  our  own  impotency  and  our  exceeding  sin- 
fulness :  and  this  we  could  only  learn  and  know  by  facts  !  by  being 
tried  under  the  covenant  of  the  law.  Therefore  God  gave  the  law, 
not  to  supersede  or  set  aside  the  Everlasting  covenant,  but  to  confirm 
and  establish  it,  and  to  lead  us  to  it,  and  bring  us  into  it,  by  showing 
our  need  of  it,  and  that  we  are  lost,  without  it,  by  making  us  to 
know  that   the  covenant   in  which  man  has  got  something  to  do, 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD.  47 

brings  a  curse,  and  it  is  only  the  Everlasting  covenant  in  which  God 
himself  performs  all  things  for  us,  which  brings  a  blessing !  to  show 
that  we  having  nothing  to  perform,  do  not  do  it,  and  are  sinners ; 
and  to  show  that  God  alone  is  good,  God  alone  performs,  God  alone 
blesses,  and  we  must  look  to  him  for  every  thing  and  turn  away 
from  our  own  works  which  bring  death  and  a  curse ! 

Such  knowledge  and  understanding  God  teaches  his  people  out  of 
his  law,  and  then  when  they  have  understanding,  they  will  believe  in 
God.  This  is  not  man's  gross  and  proud  understanding,  it  is  the 
very  Spirit  of  God  himself;  "  the  Lord  gweth  roisdom,  ovt  of  his 
mouth  Cometh  knowledge  and  understanding.^^ 

Therefore  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  lamb  slain  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world,  that  in  Him  alone  we  have  Righteousness 
and  strength,  in  Him  we  live  to  God  and  walk  with  God  and  are 
filled  with  blessing,  and  rest  in  Him,  and  have  no  works  to  do,  but 
he,  Jesus  Christ,  fills  us  and  clothes  us  with  Righteousness,  this  Gos- 
pel of  the  Grace  of  God,  that  he  who  only  trusteth  to  God,  doing 
nothing  whatsoever,  shall  be  saved, — this  Gospel  which  this  little 
Book  opens,  and  preaches,  this,  yea  This,  is  the  Everlasting  covenant 
itself  which  God  made  with  Abraham. 

The  Blessing  which  God  promised  to  Abraham,  and  to  many 
nations  and  people  of  whom  he  is  called  the  father,  was  a  Blessing 
only  to  be  had  in  the  seed  of  Abraham,  that  is,  in  Jesus  Christ,  who 
was  born  of  the  stock  of  Abraham,  of  the  tribe  of  Judah.  And  it  is 
in  Christ,  in  Him  the  Holy  One  of  God,  and  only  in  him,  that  we 
are  blessed.  And  what  is  this  Blessing  which  God  promised  to 
Abraham  and  his  spiritual  children,  in  Him  Jesus  Christ,  the  seed  of 
Abraham  1  It  is  Righteousness,  and  that  includes  every  blessing. 
It  is  perfect  Righteousness,  even  the  Righteousness  of  God,  which 
we  are  made  to  be,  in  Him.  Perfect  Righteousness  is  given  to  us 
in  him,  by  the  infinite  grace  and  mercy  of  God  towards  us ;  given  to 
us  freely,  according  to  the  multitude  of  his  tender  mercies  towai'ds 
us,  for  he  knew  us  and  loved  us  who  believe  and  all  who  shall  be- 
lieve, before  the  world  began.  It  is  Righteousness  so  perfect  and 
complete  that  nothing  can  be  added  to  it,  and  it  is  the  utmost  wick- 
edness to  think  to  add  to  or  to  help,  or  to  increase  the  Righteousness 
of  God  !  There  is  no  want  of  any  other  Righteousness,  there  is 
nothing  whatever  for  us  to  do,  to  add  to  this  Righteousness,  we  are 
delivered  from  every  necessity  of  this  kind,  we  have  nothing  to  do, 
who  believe,  we  are  filled  with  Righteousness  who  hunger  after  it. 
Nor  is  it  a  momentary  Righteousness  imputed  once  only,  it  is  an 
Everlasting  Righteousness  which  shall  not  be  abolished  (Is.  li.  5), 
imputed  unto  us  who  believe,  continually,  unceasingly,  and  for  ever : 
it  is  an  acting  Righteousness,  it  is  the  life  and  Power  of  God,  it  is 
Christ  the  Righteousness  of  God,  in  whom  we  are  and  he  in  us,  by 
whom  we  are  redeemed  from  under  the  law,  and  have  nothing  to  do  I 
No  blessing  so  great  could  ever  have  been  imagined  by  man,  as 
this,  which  they  who  believe,  do  have  and  possess  in  Jesus  Christ 
the  seed  of  Abraham,  the  Son  of  David.  It  is  of  all  Blessings  that 
can  possibly  be  conceived  of,  the  only  one  which  really  and  truly  is 


48  THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD. 

a  blessing.  For,  let  one  be  ever  so  blessed,  yea,  let  him  be  in  heaven 
itself  as  the  angels  were  who  fell,  or  let  him  be  in  Paradise,  as  Adam 
was  who  fell,  let  him  have  all  and  every  other  possible  blessing,  yet, 
if  he  is  under  the  law  and  has  got  any  thing  to  do,  he  will  fall  also, 
he  will  certainly  come  under  a  curse  by  not  doing  what  he  lias  got  to 
do,  if  he  has  any  thing  whatever  to  do  ;  because  certainly  he  will  not 
and  cannot  do  it,  for  there  is  no  good,  no  Righteousness,  no  Holi- 
ness, no  Power,  no  Wisdom,  in  Heaven  nor  in  Earth,  nor  in  the 
,  Heaven  of  Heavens,  except  in  and  from  God  only  ! 

What  a  vast  and  large  Blessing  then  is  this  which  we  have  in 
Jesus  the  Christ,  this  gift  of  Righteousness  in  him !  What  a  Bless- 
ing to  have  Him  for  ''  OUR  RIGHTEOUSNESS,"  him  to  do  all, 
we  to  have  nothing  to  do  !  and  to  know  that  because  He  lives  we 
live,  and  shall  never  perish  !  Such  a  Blessing  given  freely  that  is 
gratuitously  to  us  in  Christ  Jesus  by  the  Everlasting  Mercy  and 
Love  of  the  living  God,  by  his  great  grace  and  good  will  and  good 
pleasure,  is  so  large,  so  great,  so  rich,  so  vast,  so  extensive,  so  mag- 
nificent and  liberal  that  none  but  God  only,  kind  and  good  beyond 
understanding,  none  but  Love  immense  and  immeasurable  could  de- 
vise and  accomplish  it  !  It  is  precisely  that  Blessing  which  only 
really  is  a  blessing,  nothing  short  of  this  would  be  an  equal  blessing 
to  the  sinner.  It  is  perfect  deliverance,  perfect  salvation,  perfect 
security,  perfect  pardon,  perfect  Righteousness,  everlasting  Rest, — 
and  all  in  Christ !  all  done  by  him  !  all  received  in  him  the  seed  of 
Abraham!  How  true  and  how  faithful  God's  Word  is  proved  to  be ! 
When  he  made  promise  to  Abraham  that  in  One  of  his  seed  those 
who  believe  should  be  blessed,  no  one  could  have  conceived  or 
imagined  how  completely  and  most  abundantly  he  would  perform  the 
Word  which  he  had  spoken ! 

There  are  none  but  the  very  poor  and  needy  who  will  hunger  after 
and  gladly  receive,  who  will  take  this  Blessing  this  Water  of  life 
freely  :  God  has  foreknown  them,  and  loved  them,  and  chosen  them, 
and  ordained  them  to  eternal  life  :  they,  whoever  they  are,  have 
been  taught  by  the  Spirit  of  (lod  out  of  the  law,  how  very  vain,  yea 
how  beastly  all  their  best  looking  and  most  pious  works  are,  and  that 
there  is  no  hope  but  in  God  alone,  to  whom  only  we  must  look  for 
Rightcsousness  and  the  works  of  Righteousness  which  cannot  be  by 
us,  hut  are  only  by  Christ  Jesus ! 

Such  is  the  Everlasting  covenant,  and  such  is  the  Blessing  of 
whicii  it  is  a  sure  Promise  !  This  covenant  God  made  with  Abra- 
ham ;  he  remembers  it  at  all  times  for  us  and  therefore  we  are  not 
consumed.  In  remembrance  of  this  covenant  he  blessed  his  people 
Israel  at  all  times,  because  he  beheld  them  in  Christ,  and  "  was  well 
■pleased  for  his  rli^hteousness^  sitkc^' 

As  the  law  which  was  given  by  Moses  did  not  set  aside  this 
coviuiant,  but  by  its  dreadful  teaching  went  to  establish  and  confirm 
it,  and  as  there  is  no  blessing,  but  a  curse  in  the  violated  covenant 
of  Sinai,  tlierefore  when  God  delivered  the  law  to  Moses,  he  did  not 
leave  his  people  under  the  law  to  have  hope  in  their  own  obedience 
and  Righteousness,  for  then  none  of  the  saints  of  old  could  possibly 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD.  49 

have  been  saved ;  because  the  curse  of  the  law  is  upon  all  who  do 
not  perfectly  fulfil  it,  else  it  would  be  no  law  at  all,  if  any  who  had  it 
to  obey  could  escape  the  punishment  of  disobedience.  While  they 
had  the  law  to  make  known  the  perfection  of  Righteousness  and  the 
exceeding  sinfulness  of  sin,  God  showed  them  plainly  that  Righte- 
ousness was  not  obtained  by  man's  doing,  but  by  faith  only,  and  was 
not  performed  by  any  man,  but  only  by  the  Spirit  of  God.  They 
never  sought  to  be  accepted  for  obeying  the  law  and  doing  good,  and 
therefore  they  never  appeared  before  God  in  the  Righteousness  of 
the  law,  but  only  in  the  blood  of  the  sacrifice  ;  they  came  unto  God 
by  the  High  Priest,  the  anointed,  that  is,  the  Christ,  and  not  by  the 
law ;  they  offered  unto  God  sacrifices  which  he  had  prepared  for 
them,  and  not  good  deeds  or  Righteousness  which  they  had  done. 
When  they  touched  the  sin  offering  they  were  sanctified,  not  when 
they  tried  to  obey  the  law,  or  to  do  good  :  when  they  were  sprinkled 
with  blood  they  were  clean,  not  when  they  were  sirict  observers  of 
the  law.  God  showed  plainly  by  all  this,  that  it  is  only  in  the  sacri- 
fice of  the  anointed,  that  is  of  Jesus  Christ,  that  he  accepts  any 
man.  He  showed  that  in  him  alone  he  is  well  pleased,  that  by  him 
alone  the  law  is  fulfilled  (for  how  could  God  be  pleased  except  the 
law  was  fulfilled)  and  not  by  the  obedience  of  man.  Therefore, 
while  they  had  the  Law  by  which  is  the  knowledge  of  sin,  it  was 
plainly  shown  by  the  sin  offerings  and  shedding  of  blood,  that  salva- 
tion from  sin  and  acceptance  with  God  is  only  in  Christ :  thus  they 
were  not  saved  by  doing  any  good  at  all,  but  only  by  Grace.  If  they 
could  have  done  good  and  work  Righteousness  and  please  God  by 
trying  to  obey  the  law,  then  all  the  shedding  of  blood,  the  sacrifices, 
and  the  office  of  the  High  Priest  were  vain  and  useless  ;  so  also  if 
Righteousness  (that  is,  doing  good,  and  by  consequence,  pleasing 
God)  can  come  by  the  Law,  then  Christ's  death  is  vain  and  useless. 
Gal.  ii.  21.)  The  sacrifice  of  the  sin  offering  showed  the  sacrifice  of 
Christ,  which  he  should  offer  in  the  appointed  time ;  their  sins  being 
laid  upon  it,  showed  that  it  is  Christ  who  taketh  away  our  sins ;  its 
death  showed  the  death  of  Christ,  and  its  destruction  and  burning 
showed  the  entire  destruction  of  the  body  of  sin  and  death,  which 
should  be  triumphantly  accomplished  by  the  Holy  One.  Therefore 
Christ  must  needs  suffer,  to  take  away  the  sins  of  his  people  :  and 
he  must  needs  be  man,  that  he  might  suffer  for  man  and  as  man,  and 
that  the  law  might  be  obeyed  by  man.  He  must  needs  come  in 
obscurity  and  humiliation',  for  how  could  ho  have  suffered  death,  if 
he  had  come  in  the  splendour  and  brightness  of  his  glory  and  power  ? 
or  how  then  would  the  wicked  have  had  free  course  and  unrestrained 
opportunity  and  liberty  to  reject  and  despise  him,  if  they  would  ;  or 
to  receive  and  acknowledge  him,  if  they  would  ?  He  must  needs  be 
put  to  death  by  wicked  men,  for  what  good  men  would  hurt  or  put 
any  man  to  death  ?  Therefore  he  came  on  the  earth,  a  man,  and 
placed  himself  in  the  situation  of  the  lowliest  and  humblest  of  that 
lost  and  wretched  race  !  and  he  came  at  a  time  when  there  had  arisen 
a  generation  exceedingly  wicked,  proud  and  self-conceited :  who 
thought  themselves  exceedingly  holy  ;  men  who  regarded  not  the  sin 
7 


50  THE  GOSl'EL  OF  GOD. 

offering  and  its  signification,  but  who  were  satisfied  that  they  were 
righteous  in  their  austere  and  pious  observance  of"  the  law  ;  men  who 
thought  that  they  did  good ;  even  the  same  generation  which  is  now 
on  the  earth  and  is  not  yet  passed  away.  (Mat.  24,  ult.) 

To  this  generation  God  delivered  up  his  beloved  his  only  begotten 
son,  that  they  might  do  unto  him  as  they  listed,  and  as  he  had  fore- 
determined  to  leave  them  alone  to  do.  And  this  righteous,  holy  and 
spotless  One,  submitted  himself  to  their  bloody  hands  and  offered 
himself  up  as  a  sacrifice,  the  lamb  of  God,  for  a  people,  an  ungodly 
and  wicked  people,  whom  God  in  his  great  mercy  had  chosen  and 
before  ordained  to  bless  in  him,  out  of  every  kindred  and  nation  and 
people.  Their  transgressions  he  bore,  knowing  and  seeing  every 
one  of  them ;  and  he  suffered  all  the  curse  and  death  and  agony  of 
the  terrible  law  which  by  right  belonged  to  this  people  ;  "  he  died  for 
the  ungodly,''''  he  was  cursed  instead  of  them,  and  the  law  was  proved 
(when  even  such  a  Holy  One  could  not  escape)  to  be  no  lie,  but  a 
truth,  as  assuredly  it  must  and  will  be  fully  proved  to  be  to  all  that 
do  wrong,  and  do  not  turn  with  repentance  and  enti'eaties  to  Him 
who  freely  forgiveth.  Thus  God  (letting  them  alone  to  do  as  they 
pleased,  and  as  he  knew  before  the  foundation  of  the  world  they 
would  do  when  he  should  let  them  alone)  made  use  of  Satan  and  his 
children  to  accomplish,  by  their  very  wickedness,  the  destruction  of 
wickedness,  and  the  entire  removal  of  sin  from  them  whom  he  has 
chosen  to  be  tabernacles  in  whom  he  will  dwell ;  and  so  He  will  be 
glorified  by  the  very  existence  of  evil  creatures,  yea,  and  by  their 
vilest  deeds. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Be  ye  steadfast,  immoveable,  in  believing  and  doing  nothing  :  always 
abounding  in  the  work  of  God,  always  ceasing  from  your  oicn  work. 

The  whole  Gospel  of  God  is  plainly,  emphatically  and  unequivo- 
cally revealed  in  these  words,  "  Believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  thou  shalt  be  saved^  It  says  nothing  about  doing,  and  instead 
of  implying  it,  it  altogether  excludes  it,  it  is  a  true  word,  a  faithful 
saying. 

The  Scripture  could  not  be  [jlaincr,  when  in  answer  to  the  ques- 
tion "  what  shall  I  do  ?"  it  says  "  Believe,^''  and  it  is  plain  that  to 
believe  is  not  to  do.  If  there  were  the  least  atom  to  be  done  by  the 
sinner,  he  could  not  possibly  be  saved,  for  it  never  would  be  done. 
All  that  is  written  herein,  is  not  because  the  word  of  God  is  at  all 
doubtful,  or  not  plain  enough,  or  wanted  proof,  it  wants  no  such  thing  : 
this  is  written  for  the  elect's  sake,  that  they  may  be  saved. 

Jesus  Christ  does  all  for  them  that  believe  only,  ho  does  all  Right- 
eousness for  and  instead  of  them,  so  that  they  cannot  possibly  have 
the  least  thing  to  do  ;  and  this,  which  is  his  Righteousness  and  his 
doing  entirely,  he  iminites  graciously  unto  them.  It  is  indeed  won- 
derful that  God  should  do  so  much,  and  leave  us  nothing  whatever  to 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD.  51 

do,  thus  saving  us !  But  it  is  not  so  great  nor  so  wonderful  by  far, 
as  that  God  should  deliver  up  his  own  righteous  and  sinless  son  and 
not  spare  him,  for  our  sakes,  for  the  ungodly  !  He  who  did  this 
great  thing,  how  much  more  shall  he  not  do  a  less  thing,  that  is, 
"  icith  him,  also  freely  give  us  all  things  V  And  yet  they  who  scoft* 
(Peter)  and  will  not  believe  the  lesser  grace,  pretend  to  believe  and 
teach  the  greater  !  !  God  so  loved  the  world,  the  elect  world  (not 
that  of  which  he  says  "  /  'pray  not  for,""  and  which  he  says  cannot 
receive  the  spirit) ;  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only 
begotten  Son  !  This,  this  is  the  great  thing  which  God  has  done  for 
his  Israel,  which  surpasses  every  thing,  which  is  greater  than  all, 
and  which  includes  and  brings  with  it  every  thing.  He  gave  his  re- 
deemed people  to  Christ,  before  the  world  began,  and  he  gave  Christ 
to  his  people  ;  they  are  one.  The  Father  loveth  you  (saith  Christ) 
as  he  loveth  me,  and  he  loved  me  before  the  foundation  of  the 
world. 

This  is  why  any  one  is  saved,  even  because,  and  only  because  the 
Lord  God  will  save  him  !  It  is  only  the  Will  and  good  pleasure  of  God 
(Eph.),  for  there  does  not  exist  in  any  human  being  one  snigle  reason 
why  God  should  have  mercy  upon  him !  whereas  there  exist  in  all, 
thousands  of  crying  reasons  why  they  should  perish  and  be  consumed. 
But  he  will  certainly  save  his  people  whom  he  hath  chosen,  even  all 
those,  whoever  they  be,  who  seek  him,  who  hope  in  his  mercy  :  he 
hath  sworn  and  will  not  repent,  therefore  all  the  poor  and  needy, 
however  sinful  and  miserable,  may  be  fully  assured,  and  have  strong 
consolation,  even  all  may,  who  flee  for  refuge  to  Jesus  Christ,  (Heb.) 
God  hath  foreknown  all  such,  they  are  elect  of  God,  He  hath  given 
them  to  Christ,  He  will  save  them  by  his  Gospel,  giving  to  them  to 
hear  and  believe,  and  then  they  that  are  dead  shall  live  !  This  is 
salvation,  to  hear  and  believe  the  Gospel.  He  that  doth  not  believe 
in  Jesus  Christ  cannot  possibly  be  saved;  there  is  no  Righteousness, 
no  life  without  him,  and  without  him  no  man  can  have  peace  with 
God.  "  All  that  the  Father  hath  given  unto  me,  shall  come  unto 
me,"  and  the  Lord  adds,  "  whosoever  cometh  unto  me," — yea,  who- 
soever he  be,  he  need  not  stop  to  enquire  if  he  is  elect  or  not,  he 
cannot  but  know  if  he  indeed  hungers  after  the  Righteousness  of  God 
and  that  alone  and  none  other — "  whosoever  cometh  unto  me,"  let 
him  be  ever  so  ungodly,  ever  so  unlikely — "  I  will  in  no  wise  (IN 
NO  WISE)  cast  out."  Here  is  consolation  for  the  poor  and  ungodly, 
(but  none  for  the  rich,  the  righteous  and  the  pious,  unless  they  for- 
sake their  righteousness  and  piety  and  hope  only  in  God  !)  Herein  is 
mercy !  it  is  in  mere  mercy  and  favour  and  loving  kindness,  not  now 
only,  but  from  everlasting,  that  he  receives  and  saves  us,  and  not  for 
our  being  pious  and  religious !  far  from  it. 

This  is  the  mercy  of  God  in  Christ,  this  is  all  the  hope  of  him 
who  writes  this ;  and  this  was  all  the  hope  of  David  and  the  prophets, 
they  never  dreamed  of  being  saved  by  religion  or  piety ;  thus  David 
says,  ^^  I  will  hope  in  the  mercy  of  God  for  ever  and  ever."  And 
this  hope  in  the  great  goodness  and  grace  and  mercy  of  God  in 
Christ  Jesus,  (without  any  hope  or  trust  whatever  in  the  beast,  the 


52  THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD. 

flesh),  this  hope,  though  heaven  and  earth  pass  away,  shall  never  be 
disappointed,  and  shall  never  pass  away! 

Herein  is  the  salvation  of  God,  viz.  that  he  will  have  mercy  !  He 
is  ever  merciful  and  gracious,  and  none  that  hope  in  his  mercy  shall 
perish ;  he  delighteth  in  them  that  hope  in  his  mercy ;  and  all  on 
whom  he  has  mercy  now,  he  had  mercy  on  them  yesterday,  and  has 
for  ever,  he  hath  not  changed  ;  and  when  they  look  to  him  and  hope 
in  his  mercy,  then  they  shall  know  that  his  goodness  to  them  now  is 
his  everlasting  goodness,  and  that  in  his  everlasting  mercy  he  hath 
given  them  understanding  and  led  them  to  hope  in  Him !  No  one 
who  is  disobedient  to  his  law  and  word,  who  loveth  unrighteousness 
and  doth  not  look  to  Christ  for  Righteousness  and  deliverance  from 
death  and  sin  can  know  this,  for  the  wicked  (that  is,  they  who  do 
something  and  look  not  to  Christ  to  do  all  for  them)  have  no  peace 
with  God.  (Ish.)  They  cannot  know  God,  nor  his  mercy,  nor  his 
love,  nor  have  access  to  him ;  only  the  cleansed,  the  justified,  the 
righteous,  they  who,  believing,  are  in  Christ,  can  know  God  and 
approach  unto  him  ;  the  condemned  (all  who  are  under  the  law  and 
don't  fulfil  all  its  Righteousness)  cannot  know  God !  but  they  who 
believe  will  know  him,  because  to  them  there  is  no  condemnation,  they 
are  righteous,  perfectly  righteous  in  Christ,  being  made  righteous  by 
the  mercy  of  God  through  faith. 

God  has  mercy  !  this  is  the  origin  and  beginning,  and  he  hath 
chosen  them  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy,  and  loved  them  from  ever- 
lasting :  and  Christ  is  the  way,  he  is  the  means,  and  the  only  way, 
and  the  only  possible  means  by  which  the  great  work  and  purpose  of 
present  and  everlasting  mercy  is  made  effectual  and  is  accomplished  ! 
He  himself  it  is  who  accomplishes  in  all  things,  from  first  to  last,  this 
purpose  of  love  and  mercy  and  pity,  bringing  salvation,  having  done 
and  doing  all  things  for  us,  plucking  his  people  out  of  the  very  fire, 
and  making  them  righteous,  and  after  all  this,  constantly  keeping 
them  by  his  power !  (Peter.)  Even  after  they  are  made  righteous, 
that  is,  after  they  believe  and  are  justified,  they  arc  scarcely  saved  ! 
that  is,  they  are  saved  with  great  pains  and  ditficulty ;  the  presence 
and  power  and  might  of  God  alone,  can  alone  keep  and  secure  them! 
Such  is  the  rage  and  such  the  tremendous  power  of  Satan,  which  he 
has  got  for  a  season,  a  short  season  (Rev.  12),  and  such  also  is  the 
deceitfulness  of  sin,  such  is  the  power  of  this  world,  such  is  the  weak- 
ness of  the  flesh,  such  the  corruption  of  the  body  of  sin  and  death, 
that  they,  the  redeemed,  the  justified,  the  righteous,  the  holy  nation, 
the  chosen  generation,  are  indeed  scarcely  saved !  But  for  ever 
blessed  be  God,  he  hath  undertaken  and  he  hath  promised,  and  con- 
firmed his  Promise  by  an  oath,  that  none  shall  be  able  to  pluck  them 
out  of  his  hand,  though  they  go  through  much  tribulation,  and  are 
chastened  sore  (for  it  needs  be  so)  as  the  children  of  God !  They 
are  only  safe  when  they  believe  and  do  nothing,  trusting  only  to  God  : 
their  strength  is  to  sit  still,  "  this  is  the  victory  which  overcometh 
the  world,  even  our  faith,"  even  leaving  all  the  work  to  the  Lord 
Christ  and  of  course  then  doing  nothing  ourselves. 

The  word  of  God  was  written  for  our  instruction,  a  notable  figure 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD.  53 

of  a  child  of  God,  living  by  faith,  doing  nothing.  It  is  Daniel  in  the 
den  of  lions.  The  lions  are  figures  of  this  present  evil  world,  and  of 
the  raging  and  powerful  lusts  of  the  flesh,  and  threatening  trials  and 
temptations  of  all  kinds.  We  can  no  more  overcome  these,  than 
Daniel  could  master  the  lions.  The  power  and  glory  and  mercy  of 
God  in  overcoming  them  all,  for  them  that  trust  in  him,  and  only  be- 
lieve (for  only  believing,  doing  nothing,  that  alone  is  really  believing) 
the  power  and  glory  of  God  is  manifest  in  Daniel,  and  he  who  be- 
lieves is,  like  Daniel,  preserved  by  the  power  and  favour  of  God,  from 
all  their  rage  and  destructions !  It  is  not  Daniel  who  has  silenced 
the  lions  ;  no,  it  is  God  !  It  is  not  Daniel  who  has  shut  their  mouths 
— it  is  God !  and  they  are  lions  still,  though  they  are  quiet,  they  are 
not  converted  into  lambs,  nor  regenerated,  nor  progressing  towards 
personal  holiness  and  sanctification  :  they  are  ravenous  and  dangerous 
beasts,  and  continue  so.  Again,  Daniel  does  nothing  to  them,  they 
are  stronger  than  him,  (Ps.)  he  has  not  conquered  them,  he  has  not 
subdued  them,  he  has  been  sitting  still  and  has  not  tried  to  subdue 
them  !  Why  then  are  they  not  tearing  him  to  pieces  ?  why  do  they 
not  devour  him  ?  How  is  he  so  safe  1 — It  is  because  Daniel  sits  still 
and  trusts  to  God ;  to  him  he  looks,  to  his  power  and  grace  !  he 
believes  in  Him,  and  God,  even  God  himself  and  alone  has  overcome 
them  !  he  believes,  he  only  believes,  and  God  performs  all  the  work 
for  Daniel !  Mark  then,  sinner,  elect,  saved  soul,  it  is  God  who  per- 
forms all  things  for  Daniel,  and  for  you  also,  if  you  believe  in  him 
whom  God  hath  raised  from  the  dead  even  in  Jesus  Christ !  that  is, 
if  you  only  trust  to  him,  sitting  still  like  Daniel  and  doing  nothing ! 

The  Holy  Ghost  here  shows  forth  the  glory  of  that  salvation  which 
is  in  Christ  Jesus,  how  it  is  He  who  saves  his  people  from  their  sins, 
and  that  the  child  of  God  has  not  got  any  thing  to  do,  Christ  does 
all  for  him.  Like  Daniel  he  cannot  overcome  the  raging  lions  which 
his  soul  is  among,  he  cannot  overcome  one  single  lust,  nor  subdue  a 
single  iniquity :  how  can  Iniquity  overcome  iniquity  1  if  he  sets  to 
work  and  tries  to  do  the  work  of  Christ,  even  to  do  something,  it  is 
plain  he  does  not  look  to  Christ  to  be  saved,  he  does  not  believe. 
But  when  he  believes  and  ceases  from  his  own  works,  his  proud  and 
wicked  works,  when  he  does  nothing  and  trusts  entirely  to  Jesus 
Christ,  then  Christ  stops  the  mouths  of  the  lions,  and  then  he  per- 
forms all  things  for  him  f  Here  is  the  power  of  Christ,  here  is  his 
Grace,  here  is  the  glory  of  the  Gospel,  the  Power  of  God  !  if  it  were 
otherwise  the  Gospel  would  not  be  the  power  of  God  !  Here  it  is  seen 
how  God  alone  is  glorified,  for  God  alone  performs  the  whole  work, 
the  sinner  absolutely  does  nothing  !  he  has  absolutely  nothing  to  do, 
he  only  believes  and  trusts  entirely  to  God,  giving  him  credit  both 
for  power  and  grace,  thereby  confessing  that  he  is  God  indeed  !  If 
there  is  any  thing  shocking  to  man,  revolting,  hateful  and  detestable 
to  him,  it  is  this  holy,  eternal  and  sure  Word  of  Truth,  namely,  that 
God  he  is  God  alone  !  He,  manifest  in  Christ  Jesus,  truly  and  verily 
is  the  only  Saviour,  the  Christ !  He  saves,  and  he  only,  and  the 
believer  has  nothing,  nothing,  nothing  whatever  to  do  !  let  him  only 
irust  to  God  !     Therefore  sweet  as  this  little  book  will  be  to  them 


54  THE  GOSPEL  OP  GOD. 

who  receive  it  and  eat  it  up,  they  will  find  it  bitter  indeed,  yea,  very 
bitter  to  the  flesh,  the  belly  ;  for  the  world  will  not  endure  the  Truth, 
nor  them  who  believe  the  Truth  ! 

Let  him  who  believeth  in  Jesus,  the  Author  and  Finisher  of  faith, 
remember  that  he  lives  only  by  faith,  looking  only  unto  Jesus,  and 
if  he  looks  away,  if  he  looks  elsewhere,  if  he  begin  to  imagine  that 
his  wonderful  deliverance  is  partly  because  he  himself  does  some- 
thing, or  thinks  or  feels  something,  if  he  forget  whose  mercy  it  is 
that  delivers  him  and  overcomes  the  lions,  that  it  is  merely  in  his 
Grace  and  love  that  he  does  so  great  a  favour  for  him,  then  he  will 
quickly  find  out,  and  it  is  time  he  should,  that  the  lions  are  there, 
and  are  violent  and  raging  and  ungovernable  and  unaltered,  and  that 
destruction  and  misery  reign  when  they  prevail !  Therefore  let  him 
take  heed,  let  him  beware  !  All  the  cautions  and  instructions  and 
reproofs  and  counsels  of  the  Scripture  are  necessary  for  him,  and  are 
given  for  this  very  purpose,  that  the  man  of  God  (that  is,  he  who  is 
in  Christ,)  may  be  wise  unto  salvation  ;  lest  he  should  be  wise  in  his 
own  conceit  and  lay  aside  his  confidence  in  the  Lord,  and  begin  to 
take  confidence  in  the  flesh ;  lest  he  should  forget  the  dangers  and 
snares  which  surround  him,  and  that  Satan  goeth  about  like  a  roar- 
ing lion,  lest  he  should  fall  from  the  steadfastness  of  the  faith,  from 
the  simplicity  that  is  in  Christ,  and  instead  of  sitting  still  and  doing 
nothing,  and  only  looking  to  Christ,  he  should  be  seduced  to  trust  in 
his  own  strength,  and  begin  to  dream  of  other  righteousness  and 
other  power  and  other  work  than  that  of  Christ  !  lest  he  should  dis- 
honour God  by  not  believing,  and  honour  himself  by  his  imaginary 
working  :  therefore,  be  ye  steadfast  and  immoveable  in  believing,  in 
only  believing  ;  in  doing  nothing,  but  in  trusting  entirely  to  God,  in 
standing  still  to  behold  the  salvation  of  God,  and  then,  yea,  then  you 
shall  always  abound  in  the  work  of  God,  for  he  will  work  abundantly 
for  you,  performing  all  things  for  you ! 


CHAPTER  XIL 

Little  Children,  fee  from  Idolatrr/.    1  John. 

God,  for  his  great  love  wherewith  he  loved  us,  even  when  we  were 
dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  doth  make  us  alive,  giving  to  us  to  be- 
lieve in  his  Name  ;  for  that  is  to  be  quickened  and  to  live,  even  to 
believe  ;  that  is  being  born  of  God,  the  being  made  to  hear  and  be- 
lieve by  the  Mighty  Voice  or  Word  of  God.  "  Faith  comcth  by 
hearing,  and  hearing  hy  the  Word  of  God,'''  even  by  that  same 
Word  by  which  all  things  were  made  that  are  made  !  he  that  only 
and  simply  believes,  is  born ;  and  he  is  born  of  the  Word.  "  Who- 
soever believeth  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  is  born  of  God."  (1  John  v.  i.) 
"  Being  born  again  by  the  Word  of  God  (not  by  a  dead  letter)  irhich 
liveth  and  ahideth  for  ever."  (1  Peter  i.  23.)  Thus  because  to  believe 
is  to  enter  into  life,  even  into  Christ,  it  is  most  fitly  signified  in  the 
Scriptures  by  the  expression  "  being  born."     God  calls  us  by  his 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD.  55 

Mighty  Voice,  and  the  dead  hear  and  live !  It  is  only  his  Power,  it  is  only 
his  work,  "  the  voice  of  the  Lord  is  mighty.''''  As  by  his  word  he  cre- 
ated all  things,  and  it  was  his  doing  and  not  any  doing  in  the  things 
which  were  created  when  he  spake  to  them,  so  also  by  his  word  he 
raises  the  dead,  and  they  hear  and  believe  ;  this  also  is  alone  his 
doing  and  not  any  doing  in  them,  even  in  us  who  by  his  word  do  hear 
and  believe.  To  believe,  which  is  to  live,  is  the  Gift  of  God.  He 
only  is  the  Creator,  (Rev.  x.  6,)  and  every  thing  which  accompanies 
this  eternal  life  is  his  gift :  he  gives  us  repentance ;  he  gives  us  to 
wish,  that  is  to  will  to  take  the  water  of  life  ;  he  gives  us  to  desire, 
to  long  after,  to  hunger  and  thirst  after  that  true  Righteousness  with 
which  we  shall  be  filled,  and  to  forsake  and  abhor  that  counterfeit 
Righteousness  or  Piety  which  is  deceitfulness  and  very  wickedness. 

But  let  not  Satan  deceive  the  new-born  child  of  God  :  there  is  no 
Righteousness  in  believing,  in  repenting,  in  seeking  God,  in  praising 
and  thanking  him,  in  praying,  in  hungering  or  thirsting,  or  longing 
after  and  desiring  God  !  These  things  accompany  life,  but  they  are 
not  our  good  nor  our  Righteousness :  like  the  gold,  they  are  in  the 
temple  of  God,  but  they  are  in  themselves  nothing,  though  the  earthy 
worshippers  (the  Earth)  despise  Him  who  sanctifieth  the  Temple, 
while  they  worship  the  gold  which  is  in  the  Temple.  (Matt,  xxiii. 
16,  17.)  God  does  not  save  us  because  of  these  things,  God  forbid  ! 
they  do  not  help  to  save  us  at  all,  nor  in  the  least  degree  whatever  \ 
Therefore  that  preaching  is  a  lie  which  says  "  if  you  do  all  these 
things,  if  you  pray,  repent,  go  to  church,  (Sj'c.  (Sfc.  you  loill  he  saved." 
He  saves  us  because  he  loves  us  everlastingly,  because  he  will,  yea. 
He  will  have  mercy  upon  us  !  because  it  is  "  his  good  pleasure  to 
give  us  the  kingdom  .'"  It  is  not  of  him  that  willeth,  nor  of  him  that 
runneth,  (God  forbid,)  but  of  God  that  showeth  mercy !  He  who 
dares  to  deny  this,  denies  the  Word,  even  Christ !  "  See  (says  the 
Apostle)  that  ye  despise  not  him  that  speaketh.''^  It  is  one  of  the 
most  extraordinary  and  strong  delusions  of  the  religious  and  pious 
generation  of  this  day,  earthly  men  (the  Earth)  that  though  they 
boldly  deny  and  evade  the  word  of  the  living  God,  even  Christ,  they 
confidently  profess  and  absolutely  do  really  imagine  that  they  are 
followers  of  Christ. 

God  gives  us  all  these  things  which  accompany  salvation  that  He 
may  save  us,  that  we  may  come,  and  enter  into  Righteousness  and 
be  blessed,  and  have  rest  unto  our  souls.  We  are  not  righteous  and 
we  are  not  saved  because  we  believe,  because  we  come  to  Christ,  or 
wish  to  come,  nor  because  we  hunger  and  thirst  at'ter  Him  who  is 
Righteousness,  nor  because  we  repent  and  abhor  ourselves ;  all  this 
only  shows  how  very  good  and  gracious  God  is  unto  us,  in  thus  lead- 
ing us  himself  to  his  truth,  and  not  how  good  we  are  !  We  have  no 
Righteousness,  and  we  do  none,  and  we  will  not  do  any,  and  there  is 
none  can  be  had  and  none  can  be  done  but  by  Christ.  If  it  were  not 
so,  these  things  which  God  giveth  to  us  would  be  our  righteousness, 
and  it  would  not  be  true  that  He  is  THE  LORD  OUR  RIGHTE- 
OUSNESS. Therefore,  not  to  believe  only,  to  have  any  trust  in 
these  and  such  like  thines  is  to  make  God  a  liar. 


56  THE  GOSPEL  OF  OOD. 

As  the  trumpets  which  were  sounded  seven  days  before  the  walls 
of  Jericho,  were  not  the  causes  why  the  walls  fell  down,  so  our  re- 
penting and  praying  is  not  the  reason  why  God  is  gracious  to  us. 
The  people  of  Israel  did  not  put  their  trust  in  those  trumpets  nor 
worship  them,  and  they  who  believe  will  have  no  confidence  in,  nor 
derive  joy  from  these  things.  If  they  had  attributed  any  efficacy 
or  power  whatsoever  to  the  blowing  of  the  trumpets,  that  would  have 
been  to  bow  down  to  them  and  worship  them.  And  so  it  is  now,  in 
this  time,  men  that  are  of  the  earth,  earthy,  sensual  men,  having  not 
the  spirit,  attribute,  power  and  efficacy  to  their  praying  and  crying 
and  seeking,  and  all  the  other  deeds  of  their  own,  which  they  call 
the  means  of  grace  and  ordinances ;  and  they  think  that  on  account 
of  these  their  tleshly  acts,  God  will  hear  and  deliver  them  ;  they  jus- 
tify their  confidence  in  these  their  works,  because  they  see  in  the 
letter  of  the  word  that  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord  do  pray  and  seek 
after  God,  therefore  they  worship  these  things  which  God  creates  in 
the  hearts  of  his  people,  and  in  them  they  place  confidence  :  these 
are  their  Gods,  the  gold  and  silver  and  brass  and  wood  and  stone  of 
the  temple  !  which  have  no  power,  which  neither  can  see  nor  hear 
nor  walk  :  these  things,  with  their  feelings  and  sensations,  they  call 
experience,  and  to  them  they  look  for  comfort,  and  from  them  they 
derive  their  joy  and  their  confidence  :  it  is  a  refuge  of  lies.  But  let 
him  who  believing  is  born  of  God  and  is  a  child  of  God,  let  him  know 
that  as  neither  his  seeking  nor  desiring  this  eternal  life  is  the  reason 
why  he  obtains  it,  but  only  the  evei'lasting  love  and  good  will  of  God, 
so  also  the  enjoyment  and  earnest  of  it  is  not  a  credit  to  him,  but  is 
only  a  proof  of  God's  love,  and  a  reason  why  we  should  be  more 
abased,  and  thank  and  exalt  him  only.  To  enjoy  all  his  blessing,  to 
be  filled  with  all  his  fulness,  to  have  this  joy  inexpressible  and  full 
of  glory,  does  not  make  him  who  believes  better  than  others,  nor 
better  than  he  was  before ;  he  is  not  better  before  God  on  this  ac- 
count than  the  damned  in  hell :  he  is  only  good  before  God  in  the 
person  of  Jesus  Christ,  God  respectetli  tlie  person  of  no  other  man  than 
the  man  Christ  Jesus,  in  whom  alone  he  is  well  pleased  :  he  is  only 
righteous  in  the  personal,  individual  goodness  of  Christ  the  Holy 
One,  the  new  and  righteous  man,  the  Adam  of  a  new  world,  the  Son 
of  God !  Let  no  one  therefore  glory  or  rejoice  in  anv  thing  what- 
soever, nor  in  any  person,  whosoever  he  be,  but  only  in  tiie  Lord. 

Our  want  and  destitution,  our  complete  unrighteousness,  the  know- 
ledge of  which  will  make  us  cry  out  in  earnest  unto  God,  is  no  merit, 
is  no  recommendation,  it  is  not  any  righteousness,  it  is  not  com- 
mendable to  feel  it,  all  would  feel  it  if  they  were  not  dead  hardened 
and  blinded;  the  feeling  and  knowledge  of  it  is  very  death.'  This, 
our  total  destitution  of  all  righteousness,  this  deplorable  fact,  that  we 
are  sinners,  is  a  great  disgrace  and  shame  to  us,  it  is  a  reason,  and 
an  ample  reason,  why  we  should  be  damned,  instead  of  being  a  reason 
why  we  should  be  saved.  It  is  only  and  solely  because  of  this  that 
the  wicked  will  perish  everlastingly  ;  when  Christ  shall  appear  they 
will  perish  and  be  destroyed  from  his  presence,  for  this  very  rea- 
son, because  they  are  evil  and  are  found  naked,  that  is  destitute  of 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD. 


57 


Righteousness.  The  experience  and  knowledge  of  our  shame  (which 
the  earth  calls  getting  religion)  is  death,  and  even  this  death,  though 
they  labour  hard  to  feel  it,  they  cannot  find,  they  know  nothing  of  it. 
"  They  seek  death,  (it  is  a  glory  and  a  merit  to  them  to  feel  what 
hell-deserving  sinners  they  are,)  they  seek  death,  but  (saith  the  Lord) 
they  shall  not  find  it  ;  they  desire  to  die,  and  death  is  far  from  themy 
No !  they  who  rejoice  in  calling  themselves  sinners,  they  do  not 
know  what  they  talk  so  much  about,  they  do  not  know  that  they  are 
sinners. 

Therefore  let  the  needy  sinner  not  glory  in  his  shame  ;  let  him 
know  that  his  guilt  and  iniquity,  his  nakedness,  his  want  and  neces- 
sity, and  his  cry  for  mercy,  and  his  prayer  for  deliverance,  is  no 
recommendation  whatever.  God  indeed  will  surely  hear  the  cry  of 
the  really  needy,  not  because  there  is  good  in  the  cry,  (for  there  is 
none,)  but  because  He  is  good  !  because  he  is  very  gracieus  and  he 
delighteth  in  mercy,  and  because  he  has  given  a  promise  that  he 
will  hear,  and  has  pronounced  a  blessing  upon  the  miserable,  guilty 
and  sinful  wi'etch  that  wanting,  really  seeks  Him  !  who  is  truly 
ashamed  of,  and  glories  not  in  his  shame  and  infamy.  He  will  gra- 
ciously and  freely  give  the  gift  of  Righteousness  by  Jesus  Christ  to 
the  ungodly,  when  in  their  need  they  cry,  but  it  is  only  because  he 
will  have  mercy,  because  he  is  gracious  and  merciful,  long  suffering 
and  plenteous  in  goodness  and  truth  and  will  abundantly  pardon ! 
This  is  why  God  hears  and  saves ! 

If  seeking  and  praying  and  asking  and  knocking,  and  reading 
"good  books"  and  keeping  Sunday,  and  all  the  other  false  gods  and 
saviours,  the  helps  and  means,  and  conditions  and  causes  which  the 
Son  of  Perdition  hath  set  up,  on  the  performance  of  which  they 
place  their  hopes,  which  they  take  as  certain  proofs  that  they  are  in 
the  right  way,  their  zeal  for  worshipping  which  they  audaciously 
imagine  pleases  God ;  if  the  most  earnest  and  sincere  and  loudest 
cries  and  knocks  and  entreaties  could  possibly  save,  or  help  to  save, 
they  would  save  in  that  great  and  terrible  day  of  the  Lord,  when 
they  who  now  trust  in  them  will  cry  very  loud,  and  knock  and  pray 
very  earnestly,  and  God  will  not  hear  them  !  (Prov.  i-  ult.)  If  they 
can  help  to  save  now,  they  will  certainly  help  to  save  then ;  if  they 
are  good  now,  they  will  be  good  then,  for  whatever  is  really  good  is 
eternally  good. 

Let  the  sinner  know  that  God  hath  saved  him  before  he  knew  his 
need  of  salvation,  he  hath  heard  him  before  he  cried,  God  hath  com- 
passion upon  him  before  he  had  any  idea  of  his  own  ruin  and  misery, 
and  because  he  hath  loved  him  he  hath  drawn  him  with  his  love  and 
given  him  the  Spirit  and  a  good  understanding  to  hear  his  voice 
and  to  seek  his  Righteousness.  They  who  now  confide  in  these  their 
doings,  which  they  call  means  of  Grace,  will  discover,  in  that  day, 
that  having  rejected  Christ  there  remaineth  no  more  sacrifice  for 
sin :  then  let  the  gods,  the  means  and  the  helps  in  which  they  have 
trusted,  save  them  if  they  are  able.  They  say  they  do  not  reject 
him,  they  only  join  these  helps  with  him.  But  God  will  not  be  thus 
dishonoured  nor  be  helped  !  He  will  not  have  any  other  help  or  god 
8 


58  THE  GOSPEL  OF  OOD. 

with  him  !  he  will  not  falsely  share  the  glory  of  that  work  which  he 
hath  truly  alone  performed  and  no  one  with  him,  with  things  or 
works  or  imaginations  which  have  no  part  and  right  in  the  doing  and 
glory  of  it ! 

Here  are  many  words  to  show  what  God  in  his  Word  has  fully 
shown  in  two  or  three  words,  saying  "  /  am  thy  salvation,^''  that  is, 
I  am  !  I  alone  :  and  none  of  thy  Righteousness,  none  of  thy  doings, 
none  of  thy  feelings,  none  of  thy  prayings,  none  of  thy  ecstacies,  but 
"  /  alone  am  thy  salvation.''''  "  I  am  God,  and  besides  me  there  is 
no  Saviour."  But  this  is  the  very  thing  which  man  will  not  acknow- 
ledge, namely,  that  God  is  God  alone  !  they  will  readily  pretend  to 
acknowledge  him  if  they  can  join  other  gods  with  him  according  to 
their  own  way  and  wisdom ;  like  Tiberius  who  was  willing  to  enrol 
Christ  among  the  gods  of  Rome.  But,  that  God  is  God  alone,  ap- 
pears to  the  wisdom  of  man  monstrous,  absurd  and  wicked  !  What  ? 
say  they,  God  alone  saves !  and  nothing  to  help  and  assist  him  ! 
What  ?  no  other  God  !  and  all  our  "  means  of  Grace,"  our  nice  feel- 
ings, our  sweet  seasons,  our  prayers,  our  pious  enterprises,  our 
Sabbath  keeping,  our  dipping  into  water,  our  going  to  church,  our 
reading  and  singing,  our  abstinence  from  balls  and  theatres,  our 
Sunday  Schools,  our  Missionary  and  Bible  and  Temperance  Confed- 
eracies, our  pious  and  benevolent  exertions,  our  crying  and  asking, 
our  groanings,  our  experiences,  and  all  our  many  helps  or  gods — 
will  not  they  assist  1  will  not  they  save  1  Is  God  indeed  God  alone  ? 
will  not  these  things  help,  even  at  all?  are  they  no  saviours?  are 
these  good  things  bad  and  abominable  ?  has  not  God  commanded  us 
to  pray  ?  does  not  therefore  our  praying  help  to  save  ?  is  it  not  there- 
fore a  God  and  a  saviour  along  with  God  ?  Thus  Christ  is  to  them  a 
stumbling  block  and  a  rock  of  offence. 

God  is  a  jealous  God,  and  righteously  and  graciously  so  for  the 
sake  of  his  people,  for  certainly  and  most  truly  there  is  no  help  what- 
ever but  in  Him  only,  and  no  Righteousness  but  in  Him,  and  since 
all  our  help  and  all  our  Righteousness  will  come  only  from  him,  all 
our  trust  must  be  in  Him  only  and  in  his  Righteousness,  jiis  Christ 
only,  and  if  it  is  not  we  are  without  God  and  without  hope  !  It  is 
therefore  a  blessed  thing  to  know  that  the  Lord  He  is  God  alone, 
besides  him  and  with  him  there  is  no  Saviour.  He  was  in  Christ 
reconciling  the  world  unto  himself,  and  whosoever  addeth  and  joins 
his  own  or  any  helps  to  Christ  and  his  work,  is  an  idolater,  and  an 
unbeliever. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

He  that  wishes  to  he  saved,  shall  he  saved  ;  he  that  does  not  wish  to 
he  saved  shall  he  condemned,  that  is.,  damned. 

How  Satan  has  deceived  and  blinded  men,  and  led  them  to  look 
for  happiness  in  destruction  and  to  regard  good  as  evil.  To  worship 
God  !  what  can  sound  more  painful  to  the  gross,  fleshly  understand- 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD.  59 

ings  of  men,  calling  up  to  their  imaginations  the  ideas  of  constraint 
and  penance  and  mortifications  and  misery  !  And  what  is  this,  to 
worship  God  ? 

To  worship  God  is  to  be  willing  to  receive  from  him  blessings  and 
joy  and  peace  and  life  and  eternal  happiness :  for  it  is  to  believe  in 
him ;  and  to  believe  in  him  and  to  receive  at  the  same  time  the  gift 
of  eternal  life,  is  one  and  the  same,  for  they  are  inseparable. 

To  believe  in  God  (which  is  to  receive  life  and  peace,  and  to  be 
made  a  son  or  daughter  of  the  Lord  Almighty)  is  an  acknowledgment 
that  God,  he  is  God  ;  this  is  honouring  him,  this  is  in  a  word  the  true 
worship  and  the  only  true  worship  of  God :  for  to  look  elsewhere,  to 
trust  for  or  expect  good  from  any  where  else,  is  to  know  and  to  worship 
other  Gods.  He  that  looketh  to  himself  a  sintul  man  to  do  good,  he 
worships  man,  that  is,  a  beast;  he  that  looks  for  good  to  his  regenerated 
self,  (which  is  a  mere  fancy,  fiction,  a  talking  image  of  the  self-same 
beast,)  worships  the  image  of  the  beast.  In  a  word,  he  who  looketh  for 
good,  for  any  good,  to  any  thing  or  any  creature,  trusts  in  and  wor- 
ships that  creature  and  not  God !  his  trust  is  there  and  not  in  God  : 
if  he  says  he  only  expects  it  to  do  him  a  little  good,  to  be  of  a  little 
service  or  help  he  is  a  liar,  his  trust  is  there  and  not  with  God.  God 
is  a  jealous  God  and  there  is  no  one  with  him  to  partake  the  least 
atom  in  his  work.  Therefore  it  is  evident  that  the  Religion  of  this 
time  is  idolatry  and  a  worship  of  strange  Gods,  for  they  look  for 
good  almost  any  where  and  in  any  thing  except  in  God  only  !  if 
they  really  worshipped  God  they  would  know  and  teach  the  doctrine 
of  this  little  book,  and  nothing  else,  for  the  whole  doctrine  is,  "  Look 
only  to  God,  trust  only  to  God  ;  for  good,  for  Righteousness,  for  good 
works,  for  every  thing  ;  trust  no  cohere  else  in  the  least  degree  what- 
ever, cease  from  your  own  toorks,  look  only,  to  God  only"  This  is 
the  sum  total,  the  sum  and  substance  of  this  little  Book,  all  it  says 
is,  "  Him  only  shalt  thou  serve.''''  It  is  merely  the  first  command- 
ment which  the  wisdom  and  piety  of  the  earth  has  set  altogether 
aside,  viz.  it  is  this,  "  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  thou  shalt  have  none 
other  Gods  before  me."  (Ex.  xx.  1.)  And  it  is  manifestly  evident 
that  the  law  of  God,  the  true  worship  of  God,  and  of  God  only,  and 
of  no  other  God,  is  only  established  through  faith,  that  is,  by  the 
Gospel.  God  forbid  that  we  should  make  void  the  law  through  faith, 
yea  we  establish  the  law.    (Rs.  iii.  31.) 

Therefore  to  believe,  to  trust  only  to  God,  to  look  only  to  him  for 
Righteousness  and  for  every  thing,  this  only  is  really  to  worship  and 
serve  God !  And  as  to  believe  and  to  be  blessed  are  inseparable,  to 
worship  God  is  to  receive  blessing  immeasurable,  and  inconceivable 
and  everlasting  !  It  is  therefore  entirely  to  our  benefit  and  advantage, 
and  no  good  or  advantage  to  God  whatever !  for  He  is  only  a  giver 
in  this  case,  and  we  are  only  receivers. 

Therefore,  so  far  from  the  worship  of  God  being  desirable  to 
escape  from  and  get  rid  of,  it  is  that  of  all  things  which  is  most  de- 
sirable ;  and  which  so  far  from  being  any  good  in  us  or  any  merit  or 
recommendation,  or  even  at  all  commendable,  when  we  do  worship 
him,  is  a  great  favour  indeed,  yea,  the  highest,  the  utmost  of  favours 


60  THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD. 

to  be  permitted  to  worship  him  !  God  does  not  want  us  to  worship 
him,  God  forbid  !  but  it  is  we  who  are  in  the  utmost  need  and  neces- 
sity of  worshipping  him,  because  it  alone  is  the  only  good  thing  for 
us,  and  if  we  do  not  worship  him  we  are  in  horrible  misery.  There- 
fore it  is  our  great  benefit  to  worship  him,  and  when  the  Scripture 
says  "  Woi'ship  God,'''  it  only  says  to  man,  be  blessed,  be  saved,  be 
happy,  do  yourselves  good,  not  God  ! 

And  since  to  be  willing  to  receive  the  Righteousness  of  God,  to 
look  to  God  only  for  it,  to  thirst  for  it,  in  a  word,  to  wish  to  have  it, 
to  desire  it,  is  to  believe,  therefore  when  the  Scripture  says  "  he  that 
believeth  shall  be  saved,""  it  only  says,  he  that  wishes  to  be  saved 
shall  be  saved  !  This  indeed  and  in  truth  is  the  great  and  godlike 
proclamation  of  the  Gospel  !  Such  bountifulness,  such  graciousness, 
such  liberality,  how  churlish  men  have  perverted  this  and  have  been 
called  liberal !    (Is.  xxxii.  5.) 

And  again,  when  the  Scripture  says  "  he  that  beUeveth  not  shall  be 
damned,'^  it  only  says  "  he  that  wishes  to  be  damned,  he  does  not 
desire  life,  he  shall  be  damned,  he  shall  not  have  life  ;  he  shall  have 
his  own  will  and  wish  !"  Much  therefore  as  the  men  of  the  sea,  rag- 
ing and  proud  waves,  have  reviled  the  Scriptures,  and  spoken  hard 
speeches  against  God,  they  will  hereafter  only  have  to  curse  them- 
selves, for  they  will  not  be  damned  without  having  chosen  and  pre- 
ferred it ! 

To  hunger  and  thirst  after  Righteousness  is  really  and  earnestly 
to  wish  for  it,  and  this  is  believing  and  receiving  it,  for  the  willing- 
ness to  receive  and  the  receiving  are  inseparable,  and  this  Christ 
says  "  Whosoever  will,  that  is, whosoever  inshes,let  him  fake  freely, ^^ 
that  is,  for  nothing!  doing  nothing  for  it,  either  before,  or  after,  or 
ever  !  Such  is  the  unspeakable  Gift !  such  is  the  great  Good  News  ! 
and  it  is  really  and  truly  a  Gift !  He  who  sayeth  otherwise,  and 
who  will  do  something,  and  not  take  it  freely,  he  maketh  God  a  liar ! 
Woe  to  the  "  abominable  and  fearful  /"  (Rev.  xxi.  8.)  the  abomina- 
ble, who  love  unrighteousness  and  their  own  ways  and  righteousness  : 
the  fearful,  who  are  afaidof  the  truth  and  hide  it  in  earthy  doctrines, 
and  think  it  dangerous  to  believe  that  God  is  true  !    (Matt.  xxv.  25.) 

Let  it  be  well  observed  this  is  not  an  idle,  assumed  wish,  it  pro- 
ceeds from  a  good  a  right  understanding,  which  is  the  Spirit  of  God, 
and  is  given  by  God,  whoever  he  may  be  that  has  got  it,  as  the 
breath  in  our  nostrils  is  given,  whoever  has  got  it.  No  one  can 
possibly  wish  or  hunger  for  the  Righteousness  of  God,  who  does  not 
truly  want  it ;  and  he  does  not  want  it  or  stand  in  need  of  it,  or  wish 
for  it,  who  thinks  he  can  do  good,  that  is,  can  get  Righteousness  by 
his  doing  any  thing,  by  his  following  or  attempted  following  of  the 
rule  of  Righteousness  which  is  the  law  ;  who  thinks  he  can  get 
Righteousness  by  any  other  way  than  by  Christ ;  who  looks  for  good 
(that  is,  Righteousness)  from  any  other  quarter.  Therefore,  they 
who  arc  trying  to  be  good  and  pious,  and  thus  to  establish  another 
Righteousness  (which  is  a  deception,  a  show,  a  counterfeit  and  not  a 
real  Righteousness)  they  are  liars  and  deceive  their  own  selves,  if 
they  say  or  think  that  they  look  to  Christ  or  wish  to  be  saved  or 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD.  61 

thirst  after  Righteousness !  And  also  those  who  love  iniquity  and 
do  evil,  the  inhabitants  of  the  sea,  who  desire  no  Righteousness  at 
all,  but  follow  their  own  ways  and  are  satisfied  with  the  ships  of  their 
own  building,  these  do  not  desire  to  enter  into  Christ  the  ark  of  God, 
they  think  to  be  safe  in  their  own  vessels  when  the  deluge  comes ;  ' 
they  do  not  wish  for  Righteousness,  that  is,  true  Righteousness,  they 
do  not  want  and  do  not  wish  to  be  saved. 

David  truly  hungered  and  thirsted  after  Righteousness,  when  he 
said  "  Teach  vie  to  do  thy  tdll,  O  God,'"  that  is,  save  me  from  my 
own  wicked  will,  from  fulfilling  the  desires  of  my  flesh  and  of  my 
mind,  (Eph.  ii.  3.);  save  me  from  my  vain  saying  and  teach  me 
Christ  who  is  thy  Righteousness,  thy  "  doing."  He  did  not  ask  to 
know  his  will,  but  to  do  it ;  he  knew  it  already,  for  he  had  the  form 
of  all  truth  and  knowledge  in  the  law,  but  he  found  that  was  not 
suflicient,  he,  a  sinful  man,  had  not  the  Power  to  do  the  good  he  knew; 
but  he  wanted,  he  wished  for,  he  thirsted  after  Righteousness,  and 
he  cried  out  after  it,  after  "  doing,"  not  saying  or  knowing,  but 
doing,  in  spirit  and  in  truth,  that  is,  in  reality.  Thus  he  thirsteth 
after  Christ,  after  Him  who  came  to  do  in  very  deed  and  reality 
what  Moses  made  known:  for  by  Moses  we  know  all  the  will  and 
Righteousness  of  God,  but  by  Christ  we  do  his  will  and  fulfil  all 
Righteousness  !  that  is,  it  is  Christ  himself  who  does  the  will  of  God, 
"  Lo  !  I  come  to  DO  thj  u'ill,  O  God  /"  and  then  imputes  it  to  us, 
even  to  all  of  us,  who  by  him  do  believe ! 

Thus  it  is,  (and  this  is  what  man  and  his  fleshly  wisdom  cannot 
understand,)  we  do  the  will  of  God  by  doing  nothing,  only  believing, 
looking  to  Christ,  who  ^'' perforins  all  things  for  us!''''  we  standing 
still,  and  beholding  the  salvation  of  God !  sitting  still  (this  is  our 
strength)  and  doing  nothing.  (Ish.  xxx.  7.)  Herein  is  seen  how  true 
it  is  that  God's  thoughts  are  not  our  thoughts,  nor  his  ways  our 
ways !  for  this  is  exactly  the  opposite  of,  and  directly  contrary  to 
the  thoughts  and  religion  of  earthly  men,  the  religion  of  this  last  day  ; 
while  also  the  religion  of  this  day  is  directly  the  opposite  of,  and 
contrary  and  opposed  to  the  Truth  of  God  !  Astonishing  strength  of 
the  delusions  of  Satan,  astonishing  all-deceivableness  of  unrighteous- 
ness !  to  make  the  utmost  wickedness  and  atheism  and  rebellion 
appear  to  men  as  if  it  was  the  highest  pitch  of  faithfulness  and  obe- 
dience to  God !  to  make  bondage  appear  liberty,  churlishness  appear 
bountifulness,  darkness  to  appear  light,  bitter  to  appear  sweet,  and 
the  very  reign  of  the  devil  and  the  beast,  in  all  their  wickedness  and 
malice  and  beastliness  to  appear  as  if  it  was  the  Millennium  begun  on 
the  earth !  for  so  the  false  and  deceitful  prophets  have  actually  re- 
presented it ! 

Wherefore,  to  wish  for,  to  hunger  after  Righteousness,  and  to  look 
to  and  hope  in  God  only  for  it,  that  is  to  believe :  and  to  believe, 
(only  to  trust  in  God,)  that,  even  that,  is  to  worship  God.  And  so  it 
is,  that  to  worship  God  thus  truly,  and  to  receive  him  gladly  to  do 
all  for  us,  is  the  summit  of  blessedness  for  man.  What  indeed  can 
be  a  greater  blessing  than  to  receive  and  have  Almighty  Power  to  be 
on  our  side,  to  crown  us  with  glory  and  honour,  to  clothe  us  with 


()2  THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD. 

perfect  Righteousness,  to  do  us  all  good,  and  to  do  all  good  for  us  ? 
Nothing  can  equal  this  except  it  be  the  knowledge  of  Him  who  is 
thus  good  and  gracious.  Therefore  the  enquiry  of  a  man  should  be, 
— not,  shall  I  worship  God,  or  shall  I  not  ? — but,  as  all  the  worship 
is  merely  for  my  own  supreme  joy  and  blessedness,  and  all  the  good 

the  benefit  and  the  advantage,  is  entirely  on  my  side, will  God 

let  me  worship  him  ?  that  is  the  main  point  !  Will  he  condescend 
to  permit,  to  suffer  me  to  draw  nigh  and  approach  unto  him,  and 
receive  from  him  that  which  eye  hath  not  seen  nor  ear  heard,  nor 
hath  entered  into  the  heart  of  man  to  conceive  !  Will  he  take  me, 
and  choose  me,  and  permit  me  to  worship  him  1 

Oh  !  the  unspeakable  pride  !  the  insolence  !  the  audacity  of  human 
man !  to  imagine,  to  dream,  that  God  wants  him  to  worship  Him  ! 
and  O  unspeakable  blindness  not  to  see  nor  understand  that  it  is  we 
who  want,  we  who  are  in  need,  it  is  our  blessing,  it  is  life  to  us,  it  is 
great  salvation  to  us,  to  worship  Him !  for  it  is  only  to  receive  all 
good  and  every  imaginable  good  from  Him  !  What  frightful,  yea,  hor- 
rible and  most  abominable  insolence  of  our  vain  and  evil  hearts,  when 
we  imagine  that  in  muttering  prayers,  or  reading  the  bible,  or  sing- 
ing psalms,  or  keeping  one  day  above  another,  or  not  dancing,  or 
not  drinking,  or  not  going  to  a  theatre,  that  we  are  doing  good  ! 
serving  God  !  yea,  doing  him  a  favour  and  performing  a  service  to 
Him  !  The  Earth  is  turned  upside  down,  (Is.  xxiv.)  for  the  truth  of 
God  is,  that  God  does  a  favour  to  man,  and  God  does  a  service  for 
man ;  and  they  turn  things  upside  down  and  preach  that  man  does  a 
favour  to  God,  man  does  a  service  to  (iod  !  O  abominable  abomina- 
tion ?  O  wickedness  not  to  be  conceived  !  The  Gospel  is  the  news 
of  the  Grace,  that  is,  the  favour  of  God  to  man,  and  the  Religion  of 
this  Time  is  just  the  reverse,  viz.  a  profession  of  the  grace,  that  is, 
the  favour  of  man  to  God  ! 

Instead  of  our  worship  being  any  service  or  favour  to  God,  it  is  a 
most  wonderful  and  astonishing  condescension  and  humiliation  on 
God's  part  to  let  us  worship  him !  To  permit  us  to  worship  him,  to 
give,  to  grant  to  us  to  believe  in  him,  this  is  to  make  us, — us  wretches, 
— equal  to  the  angels  of  heaven :  it  is  to  fill  us  with  all  good.  Well 
therefore  is  it  said  that  this  faith  whereby  we  approach  unto  God,  is 
the  gift  and  calling  of  God  !  It  cannot  be  otherwise,  and  all  those 
who  believe,  who  wish  for  the  Righteousness  of  God,  are  chosen  of 
God :  if  they  hunger  after  Righteousness,  then  and  not  unless,  it  is 
certain  they  are  blessed  and  chosen  of  God  !  God  hath  loved  them 
and  chosen  them,  to  cause  them  to  approach  unto  Him  !  Thus  the 
Prophet  says,  "  Blessed  is  the  man  whom  thou  choosest,  O  Lord,  and 
causest  to  approach  unto  Thee  /"  and  therefore  because  he  hath 
before  chosen  them  and  always  intended  to  save  them,  they,  by  his 
Word  and  his  Spirit,  hear  and  understand  his  Truth,  and  believe,  and 
thus  approach  unto  Him  ! 

It  is  therefore  a  blessed  thing,  if  any  one  hungers  and  thirsts  after 
Righteousness  ;  for  whoever  he  be  that  does,  he  owes  that  blessed- 
ness entirely  to  God  !  God  hath  loved  him  with  an  everlasting  love, 
and  chosen  him,  and  ordained  him  to  eternal  life;  lie  who  now  gives 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD.  63 

him  grace  and  favour  in  Christ,  gave  him  Grace  in  Christ  before  the 
foundation  of  the  world!  (2  Tim.  i.  9.)  "  /  have  loved  thee  with  an 
everlasting  love,  therefore  ivith  loving  kindness  have  I  drawn  thee'''' 
saith  God  by  the  Prophet  Jeremiah. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

The  inviolability  of  the  law  of  God. 

It  is  an  abominable  thing  to  teach  that  Christ  does  only  a  part  and 
not  all ;  and  that  he  who  believes  has  something  to  do,  that  Christ 
does  not  do  all  for  him.  If  Christ  does  any  thing  at  all,  he  does  all 
wholly  and  entirely :  if  the  sinner  has  any  thing  at  all  to  do,  then  he 
has  all  and  every  thing  to  do,  and  then  there  is  no  salvation. 

The  law  which  says  "  do"  means  really  and  truly,  do  all  and 
every  thing,  not  in  part,  but  wholly  and  perfectly  ;  and  the  Gospel 
which  says  "  believe,""  means  really  and  truly  what  it  says,  do  no- 
thing at  all,  but  leave  it  all  to  Christ,  trusting  in  him.  He  who  has 
something  to  do,  has  all  to  do,  for  he  is  under  the  law,  and  the  law 
admits  not  of  part  being  done  and  part  being  undone  ;  it  admits  no 
imperfect  obedience.  Tliey  who  are  under  it,  who  are  not  dead  to 
it  by  the  body  of  Christ,  they  must  fulfil  it  entirely,  or  suffer  all  its 
penalty  :  and  they  who  believe  in  Him,  do  fulfil  it  entirely  (by  Him) ; 
thus  in  any  case  by  Jew  or  by  Gentile,  by  Heathen  or  Christian,  by 
believer  or  infidel,  it  must  be  fulfilled,  it  cannot  be  broken,  it  is  surer 
than  heaven  and  earth.  Christ  fulfils  it  for  them  that  receive  him, 
without  their  moving  the  little  finger  of  the  arm  of  man ;  but  they 
who  will  not  receive  him  for  all  Righteousness,  but  will  have  some- 
thing to  do,  they  are  not  by  their  own  pride  removed  from  under  its 
obligation,  they  have  got  it  all  to  fulfil  and  they  may  move  heaven 
and  earth,  they  cannot  fulfil  it,  they  are  too  far  gone  in  wickedness, 
as  all  men  are,  for  that. 

They  who  say,  or  think  that  to  believe  is  yet  to  have  something  to 
are  blind  and  wicked,  and  do  not  believe  God's  word  of  the  gospel, 
"  Believe  and  thou  shalt  be  saved."  They  very  sincerely  believe, 
(sincerely,  because  we  are  sincerely  and  earnestly  wicked,)  that 
what  they  do,  or  think  they  ought  to  do,  is  very  good,  and  com- 
manded of  God,  and  will  please  God.  Yes,  so  it  is  commanded  of 
him,  if  it  be  all  good,  for  his  law  commands  all  good  :  and  so  it  will 
please  him  if  they  do  really  all  good,  for  he  is  good  and  loveth  good. 
But  they  vainly  think  that  their  praying  and  going  to  their  Church, 
and  keeping  their  Sabbath,  is  very  gool,  and  the  sinner  who  takes 
to  these  things  will  please  God,  and  they  add,  through  Jesus  Christ. 
They  mean  to  say  that  Christ  will  make  all  these  things  coming 
from  sinful  man  who  does  not  do  real  good,  that  is  all  the  law  of  good, 
acceptable  and  pleasing  to  God  !  So  that  when  a  man  is  a  law 
breaker,  yet  God  will  accept  him  through  Jesus  Christ :  and  this 
violation  of  the  law  by  God,  or  tliis  his  supposed  admission  of  its 
violation,  they  call  Grace  !     Abominable  wickedness  of  Satan's  de- 


64  TIIK  (JOSPEL  OF  G01>. 

lusions  !  Nothing  but  the  perfect  fulfilling  of  the  law, — and  this  is 
only  by  Christ,  and  is  his  work — can  be  pleasing  to  God.  Christ  did 
not  come,  far,  far  from  it,  to  make  our  filthy  works  good,  to  help  to 
glorify  us  and  puff"  us  up  with  admiration  of  ourselves,  but  utterly  to 
destroy  them  altogether,  and  he  himself  to  work  the  work  of  God 
for  us,  fulfilling  the  whole  law  perfectly  for  the  ungodly  who  receive 
him  to  do  it ;  perfectly,  not  imperfectly,  else  it  were  no  salvation. 

If  when  a  man  has  done  wrong,  that  is,  in  other  words,  is  a  sinner, 
then  if  going  to  Church,  and  praying,  or  keeping  one  day  in  seven, 
or  doing  or  not  doing  any  thing  whatsoever,  if  such  things  will  make 
it  all  right  again,  and  dispose  God  to  forgive  him,  then  to  do  wrong 
is  a  very  trifling  thing  indeed,  yea,  the  law  of  God  is  a  jest,  if  thus 
it  can  be  done  away  by  such  trifling  things  !  But  "  God  is  not 
mocked  /"  They  preach  that  these  things  are  made  acceptable  and 
etfectual  only  by  the  Grace  of  God  !  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  ! 
If  the  Grace  of  God  did  assist  to  give  effect  to  such  half-obediences 
of  the  law,  to  such  defective  and  sinful  doings,  then  would  Christ  be 
made  to  assist  the  condemned  and  the  transgressors  in  violating  and 
despising  the  law  of  God  ;  for  he  who  does  not  fully  obey  this  law  of 
good  in  all  things,  is  a  transgressor  and  condemned.  But  God's  holy 
and  righteous  law,  his  moral,  yea,  and  far  more  than  moral  law, 
cannot  possibly  be  broken,  and  most  assuredly  Christ  does  never 
assist  to  break  it ;  nor  does  the  Grace  of  God  consist  in  helping  him 
who  breaks  it  to  patch  it  up  again  and  obey  it  a  little,  that  is,  to  do 
a  little  good,  nor  any  at  all.  No  wrong  of  any  kind  can  be  done 
with  impunity  by  Heathen  or  Christian  or  any  one  whosoever  he  be. 
No  assistance,  no  Grace  will  be  given  to  the  wrong-doer  to  palliate 
the  imperfection  of  his  obedience  :  imperfect  obedience  is  no  obe- 
dience at  all,  it  is  total  disobedience,  it  is  crime,  (James) ;  herein  is 
the  sin  the  crime  of  mankind  that  they  do  not  perfectly  do  what  is 
right,  they  are  the  offerers  of  an  imperfect  obedience.  If  the  law 
that  wrong  must  not  be  done,  and  which  pronounces  a  curse  upon  all 
wrong  doing  (that  is,  sin) — if  this  law  could  have  been  broken,  then 
God  could  have  broken  it,  and  Christ  might  have  saved  his  people 
without  any  suffering.  But  it  was  not  possible  that  that  cup  should 
pass  from  him,  if  we  were  to  be  saved :  no,  it  was  not  possible ;  the 
law  could  not  be  broken ;  and  he  drank  it  up  to  the  dregs  instead  of 
us,  even  the  full  cup  of  the  wrath  of  God  revealed  by  the  law  against  all 
unrighteousness,  that  is,  against  all  wrong-doing.  Therefore  no  wrong 
whatsoever, not  the  least  wrongcan  possibly  be  done  and  go  unpunished. 
The  death  of  Christ  is  a  terrible  guarantee  of  the  inviolability  of  the 
law.  How  then  shall  sinful  man,  full  of  all  secret  evil,  drenched  in 
floods  of  hidden  filthiness,  dare  to  imagine  and  absolutely  even  to 
preach,  that  a  little  muttering  of  his  prayers,  a  little  paltry  piety  and 
devotion,  a  going  to  church,  and  keeping  Sunday,  the  not  drinking 
spirits  and  not  going  to  balls,  in  one  word,  a  doing  something,  shall 
help  him  to  escape  ?  and  that  he  will  escape  by  the  Grace  of  God, 
through  Jesus  Christ !  Astonishing  wickedness  and  delusion  to  dare 
to  think  and  to  preach  that  the  Grace  of  God  is  intended  to  give 
impunity  to  wickedness  and  safety  to  crime  !     This  is  the  turning  the 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD.  65 

Grace  of  our  God  into  lasciviousness,  which  is  now  done  as  it  was 
foretold  it  would  be  !    (Peter.) 

The  only  reason  why  men  dare  thus  to  contemn  God,  is  because 
they  do  not  really  believe  that  God  will  punish,  (Ps.  x.)  they  do  not 
believe  the  law,  they  think  their  offences  are  light  and  venial,  that  it 
is  a  trifling  thing  to  do  wrong  ;  that  the  law  is  a  jest,  a  mere  nothing, 
that  therefore  the  Grace  of  God  rnay  be  depended  upon  to  render 
the  enactments  of  the  law  of  no  effect,  to  weaken,  to  violate,  to  set 
aside  the  law  ! 

Monstrous  as  this  perversion  of  the  Grace  of  God  is,  great  as  is 
the  enormity  of  this  crime,  yet  how  all-deceivable  such  unrighteous- 
ness and  wickedness  is,  (2  Thess.)  is  proved  by  the  fact,  the  aston- 
ishing fact,  that  this  very  wickedness  and  guilt,  passes  both  with 
those  who  are  guilty  of  it,  and  before  the  eyes  of  all  others  also, 
under  the  character  and  appearance  of  uncommon  sanctity  and  piety, 
and  reverence  for  God,  and  zeal  for  the  law ! 

No  indeed,  it  is  a  terrible  thing  to  do  wrong :  it  is  not  a  trifling 
thing !  No  part  of  God's  law  being  obeyed,  though  they  may  say 
by  the  Grace  of  God,  can  make  up  for  what  is  not  obeyed.  So 
terrible  is  the  law  of  the  Almighty  God,  to  those  who  do  not  fully 
and  perfectly  obey  it,  that  if  any  man  believes  the  truth  of  the  law, 
he  certainly  will  believe  the  Gospel,  and  gladly  receive  Jesus  Christ 
for  all  his  Righteousness.  But  they  who  despise  the  law  of  God  and 
tremble  not  at  it,  they  will  despise  the  Gospel,  they  cannot  believe. 
(Luke  xvi.  31.) 

Whether  we  are  under  the  law  or  whether  we  are  under  the  Gos- 
pel, the  Law  cannot  and  will  not  be  broken.  It  is  fully  and  perfectly 
obeyed,  and  fulfilled  by  Christ  for  them  that  believe,  and  thus  it  is 
not  broken  :  and  its  curse  will  be  fulfilled  and  established  to  all  trans- 
gressors in  the  day  when  God  will  judge  the  world,  and  thus  it  will 
not  be  broken. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

To  he  under  the  law  and  at  the  same  time  to  believe  is  impossible.     A 
cry  against  the  Earth. 

They  who  cleave  to  the  law,  seeking  to  do  good,  (for  to  try  to  do 
good  is  to  try  to  fulfil  the  law  and  to  cleave  to  it,)  they  dishonour 
thereby  that  very  law  of  good-doing  which  they  vainly  imagine  they 
love  so  much  !  They  dishonour  it,  for  they  violate  it,  they  break  it, 
they  do  not  fulfil  it.  If  they  think  they  keep  it,  or  that  they  do 
good,  then  they  do  not  even  believe  that  it  is  true,  for  it  itself  posi- 
tively declares  to  them  that  they  do  not  keep  it  at  all !  (Rs.  iii.  19.) 
The  law  declares  this. 

He  who  cleaveth  to  the  law,  who  has  got  to  do  good,  or  some- 
thing to  do,  can  have  no  inheritance  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ  and  of 
God  !  it  is  utterly  impossible,  for  he  is  a  ti-ansgressor,  he  is  con- 
demned, he  abideth  in  coiidenmation  and  death.  He  is  a  transgressor, 
for  he  has  got  to  do  good,  he  has  got  a  law  to  fulfil,  and  as  God  is 
9 


66  TEIE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD. 

true,  he  does  not  do  it :  he  is  therefore  in  condemnation,  and  that  is 
death  itself.  Since  he  does  not  do  all  that  which  he  is  bound  to  do, 
he  is  unrighteous  and  condemned,  and  most  certain  it  is,  no  unright- 
eous man,  no  condemned  man  has  or  can  have  any  access  to  God, 
nor  know  him,  nor  love  him,  nor  have  peace  with  him.  Such  a  man, 
whatever  he  may  say,  however  he  may  labour  to  deceive  himself 
with  vain  words,  and  talk  of  Grace  and  peace  and  love,  does  not  be- 
lieve in  Christ  at  all  nor  in  the  least  degree  whatever,  for  no  one 
can  be  condemned  by  the  law  and  free  from  condemnation  in  Christ 
at  one  and  the  same  time  !  There  is  no  condemnation  to  them  that 
believe,  they  are  no  longer  transgressors,  they  are  justified,  that  is, 
made  righteous,  and  are  without  spot,  and  have  peace  with  God.  (Rs. 
V.  1.)  And  no  one  can  be  justified  and  be  righteous,  and  be  con- 
demned and  cursed  at  one  and  the  same  time  !  But  he  who  follows 
the  law  is  a  transgressor,  and  is  unrighteous  and  condemned  and 
cursed,  for  he  has  got  to  do  good  and  he  does  not  do  it.  So  that  it 
is  utterly  impossible  to  follow  Christ  and  believe  in  him,  if  a  man  is 
under  the  law,  and  follows  it,  and  is  labouring  to  do  good,  as  the 
Earth  (the  religious  professors)  now  are  doing  :  they  do  not  believe, 
and  it  is  impossible  for  them  to  be  saved,  if  they  continue  in  unbelief, 
having  something  to  do,  and  not  having  God  to  do  all  for  them,  ac- 
cording to  his  Everlasting  Covenant. 

The  Everlasting  Covenant  which  God  made  with  Abraham,  since 
by  it  it  only  the  law  of  God  is  honoured  and  perfectly  obeyed,  since 
by  it  he  that  believes  is  blessed,  wonderfully  blessed  in  Jesus  Christ, 
blessed  with  perfect  Righteousness  and  perfect  peace,  and  is  by  and 
in  him  a  fulfiller  of  the  whole  law.  This,  this  only  is  the  Covenant 
which  God  regards,  which  he  keeps  and  remembers  for  ever,  which 
can  never  be  broken,  for  man  hath  no  hand  in  it,  and  which  he  hath 
confirmed  by  an  oath  !  In  this  covenant  only,  and  in  none  other  than 
this,  in  all  times  and  in  all  ages,  has  any  one  ever  been  blessed  who 
is  blessed  !  All  God's  favours  and  mercies  shown  to  his  people 
Israel,  at  all  times  from  the  foundation  of  the  world,  were  shown  to 
them  not  because  of  the  covenant  of  the  law,  nor  for  any  of  their 
observance  of  its  excellent  ordinances,  however  strict  and  exact,  but 
whoelly,  solely,  and  entirely  in  Christ  Jesus  who  was  to  come,  yea, 
solely  on  account  of  the  Righteousness  of  Christ  by  faith.  It  was, 
(as  is  said  in  the  book  of  Psalms,  after  a  long  enumeration  of  all  his 
mercies  and  goodness  to  the  house  of  Israel,)  it  was  all  done  and 
only  done  "  because  he  remembered  his  Holy  Promise  and  Abraham 
his  servant.''''  (Ps.  cv.  42.)  It  was  not  because  they  did  any  good,  or 
tried  to  do  any,  or  because  they  obeyed  him,  or  because  they  were 
pious  or  religious  or  devout,  or  kept  a  day  of  the  week, — far,  far 
from  it  !  it  was  not  because  of  any  conditions  they  had  fulfilled  or 
were  willing  to  fulfil,  but  only  and  merely  because  of  Christ  Jesus 
the  Righteousness  of  God,  the  end  and  fulfiller  of  the  law,  whom  they 
saw  afar  off"  in  the  daily  blood-shedding,  and  waited  for  him,  and 
hoped  in  him,  and  walked  in  his  strength,  (Ps.)  and  in  whom  God 
beheld  them  and  loved  them  !  For  ever  blessed  be  God  for  his 
Everlasting  Covenant,  his  Mercy,  his  Work,  his  Promise  ! 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD.  67 

Since  such  was  the  case  with  Israel,  what  are  the  vain  confidences 
worth  of  those  who  preach  a  mutilated,  dishonoured  and  partial  law, 
nay,  a  new  invented  law  of  their  own  which  is  no  law  ;  who  say  "  do 
good"  (and  that  even  not  real  good)  to  the  wicked  one,  the  man  of 
sin  ?  What  is  their  proud  confidence  worth,  that  they  serve  God 
and  please  him,  when  even  Israel,  which  followed  after  the  holy  law, 
and  tried  to  do  good,  by  strictly  following  it,  and  did  not  invent 
instead  of  it,  a  false  law,  a  false  standard  of  good,  and  vain  substitutes 
instead  of  the  law,  when  they,  yea,  even  they  could  not  please  him, 
and  did  not  please  him,  but  were  utterly,  utterly  cast  off  and  abhorred, 
as  it  is  to  this  day,  because  they  would  not  receive  the  only  Righte- 
ousness of  God,  even  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  ?  Wicked  as  they  were 
who  rejected  Christ,  though  yet  they  did  not  entirely  set  aside  the 
law,  how  much  more  wicked  are  those  who  both  reject  Christ,  and 
also  at  the  same  time  totally  set  aside  the  law  ?  And  yet  more  ! 
how  much  more  abominable  and  guilty  they  are  who,  while  they 
totally  reject  the  Righteousness  of  God,  yet  pretend,  with  all  deceiv- 
able  appearances  of  sanctity  and  piety,  to  love  him  and  assist  him 
and  kiss  him,  talking  of  the  "  dear  Redeemer,  Free  Grace,"  &c.  &c. 
And  also,  while  they  tolally  set  aside  the  law  both  in  theory  and 
practice,  (setting  up  confederacies  and  substitutes  for  its  real  good- 
doing,  and  being  devoted  to  covetous  and  wicked  practices  of  hatred 
and  malice,) — yet  all  the  while  wickedly  pretend  to  obey  the  holy 
law  of  God,  and  to  follow  this  law  which  they  have  slain,  as  their 
rule  and  guide  ? 

Never  was  there  a  generation  on  the  earth  so  wicked  and  impious, 
so  blasphemous  and  proud,  so  confident,  insolent  and  bold,  so  appa- 
rently iamb-like  and  saintly,  so  truly  deceitful  and  abominable !  They 
do  not  hesitate,  they  are  not  afraid,  to  deny  point  blank  and  most 
audaciously,  the  plain  and  positive  word  of  God,  being  confident  that 
their  own  ways  are  perfectly  right,  and  Satan  persuading  them  that 
what  God  says  means  nothing  or  very  little,  and  that  they  will 
easily  find  some  other  text  or  passage  to  overthrow  or  pervert  or 
blunt  whatever  appears  to  be  against  them  !  Let  them  know  how- 
ever, and  they  shall  know  shortly,  for  the  time  is  at  hand,  that  the 
whole  word  of  God  is  against  them,  against  their  practices,  and 
against  their  doctrines !  The  Scripture  is  full  of  prophecies^  against 
them  ;  Anti-Christ  is  there  as  plainly  made  known  as  Christ,  that 
we,  seeing  what  is  not  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  may  be  assured  and 
certain  what  is.  All  the  prophecies  are  concentrated  upon  this 
generation.  They  scoif  (Peter),  they  think  lightly  of  God,  they 
think  lightly  of  their  delusions  and  follies,  they  think  their  zeal,  their 
fleshly  zeal,  which  indeed  is  great  for  their  own  glory,  will  atone  for 
their  being  wrong  in  some  things,  for  they  sometimes  confess  they 
may  be  wrong  in  some  things.  Proud  and  deluded  men,  not  to  under- 
stand that  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  is  wrong  in  nothing ;  that  he  who 
has  drank  of  this  spirit  is  taught  aright  of  God  and  cannot  be  wrong. 
(John.)  They  think  lightly  of  their  own  delusions,  of  their  perver- 
sions of  the  Grace  of  God !  Every  thing  is  light  with  them,  pro- 
vided they  have  a  hot   and  fleshly  zeal  to  do  good  !     Evil  men  !  to 


68  THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD. 

dream  of  good  from  such  filthy  and  abominable  fountains  !  But  let 
them  know,  and  they  shall  know,  that  great  and  glorious  and  vast 
and  stupendous  as  is  the  Truth,  the  Eternal  Truth  of  the  living  God, 
wonderful  as  is  his  exceeding  rich  Grace,  unutterably  large  and  libe- 
ral and  god-like  as  is  his  unspeakable  Gift  and  Truth  cf  his  Grace, 
in  just  such  proportion  are  their  lies  and  false  doctrines  abominable. 
In  such  proportion  as  his  wonderful  Gospel  is  all  that  is  lovely 
and  good,  just  so  is  even  the  very  least  perversion  of  it  all  that  is 
hateful  and  wicked  !  wicked  beyond  conception,  when  wicked  men 
assuming  the  authority  and  very  words  of  God  for  this  vile  purpose, 
dare  to  counterfeit  and  pervert  his  Gospel  by  their  own  wisdom,  and 
teach  their  own  theories  and  imaginations  in  place  of,  and  casting  on 
one  side,  the  Eternal  Word  of  Truth  !  This  generation  is  called, 
collectively,  the  Son  of  Perdition.  (2  Thess.)  Judas  is  a  figure  and 
representative  of  them,  as  John  also  is  a  representative  of  the  last 
disciples,  who  shall  eat  up,  yea,  devour  this  little  book,  who  are 
to  be  the  last  and  to  tarry  till  he  come  :  for  now  first  the  words 
of  Christ  are  understood  which  he  said  of  John,  that  he  should 
tarry  till  he  came,  for  he  spake  of  us,  knowing  us  and  seeing  us, 
even  of  us  who  shall  believe  by  Him,  and  remain  on  the  earth  till 
his  glorious  coming  !  Like  Judas  they  appear  to  follow  him  ;  like 
Judas  they  make  a  bargain  and  sale  of  him,  (for  according  as  they 
preach  any  body  may  have  him  for  a  little  money,  of  piety  and  per- 
formances,) like  Judas  also  they  kiss  him  while  they  betray  and  sell 
him,  calling  him  "  dear  Jesus,"  "  the  dear  Redeemer,"  like  Judas 
they  sit  at  table  with  him,  and  like  him  their  consciences  are  so 
seared  and  their  hearts  so  hardened,  that  not  suspecting  their  own 
wickedness,  they  say  with  astonishment  "  Lord  is  it  I  ?"  like  Judas 
they  are  transformed  into  Apostles,  like  him  they  cast  out  devils, 
and  do  many  wonderful  works  ;  like  him  they  are  not  found  out  till 
the  very  last,  and  it  is  to  John,  the  last,  the  beloved  disciple,  as  he 
leans  on  Jesus'  bosom  and  trusts  to  him  that  Christ  reveals  them  as 
he  now  does  openly  in  this  little  book,  to  them,  even  his  beloved, 
that  shall  believe  in  his  Name  ! 


CHAPTER  XVL 

Why  the  Law  was  given. 

Man  is  evil  and  doeth  evil,  and  for  this  wicked  one,  this  scarlet 
beast,  being  so  altogether  evil,  to  pretend  that  he  does  good,  to  as- 
sume airs  of  counterfeit  holiness,  and  put  on  filthy  robes  of  human 
righteousness,  thinking  them  a  fine  clothing,  is  the  very  summit  of 
self-deception,  of  pride,  of  denial  of  God's  truth,  and  of  rebellion 
against  God  and  his  word.     It  is  the  pride  and  rebellion  of  Satan  ! 

When  God  gave  his  righteous  law  to  sinful  flesh,  it  was  not  in 
order  to  set  up  this  filthy  and  malignant  worm  as  having  the  power 
and  arm  of  God,  and  able  to  do  what  God  alone  does  in  the  very 
angels  who  are  around  his  throne  !     No !  it  was  for  the  very  con- 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  OOD.  69 

trary  purpose,  to  put  him  down,  and  show  him  by  woful  experience, 
his  utter  brutishness  without  God.  (Ps.)  None  is  good  save  one,  that 
is  God :  and  they  who  acknowledge  and  love  him,  because  of  his 
first  love  to  them  which  they  believe,  who  trust  to  him,  they  receive 
goodness  from  him  as  a  gift  and  a  Grace ;  they  receive  his  own 
goodness  ;  and  this  is  the  only  way  that  any  one  is  good  in  heaven 
or  earth  !  "  Thou  only  art  holy,  Holy,  Holy,  Holy,  Lord  God.'''' 
(Rev.)  So  that  it  is  all  by  faith,  receiving,  not  working,  all  by  the 
work  of  God  and  his  Grace,  yea,  even  in  the  very  angels. 

God  gave  his  holy  law,  because  of  transgression,  (Rs.)  to  make 
known  to  sinners  the  evil  of  their  evil ;  to  make  known  the  certainty 
of  the  punishment  of  all  unrighteousness  and  ungodliness  of  men  :  he 
gave  it  for  the  wicked  who  do  evil,  and  love  evil,  and  for  his  people 
also  as  long  as  being  in  unbelief  they  do  evil,  that  they  might  know 
the  misery  of  their  owza  destructions ;  that  they  might  learn  and 
know  by  it  their  own  errors  and  impotency,  and  know  that  there  was 
no  power  nor  Righteousness  but  of  God  ;  by  it  is  known  the  exceed- 
ing sinfulness  of  sin,  of  which  otherwise  we  should  never  have  anv 
knowledge,  no,  nor  even  suspicion.  Blessed  are  they  who  hear  and 
are  taught  by  this  law. 

If  the  people  whom  God  will  save  had  no  knowledge  of  the  fact 
of  their  own  sinfulness,  how  could  they  look  to  God  for  Righteous- 
ness ?  how  could  they  believe  1  No  one  looketh  for  that  which  he 
does  not  know  that  he  wants.  And  they  could  not  know  that  thei-e 
was  any  Righteousness  at  all,  if  they  had  not  known  that  their  own 
works  were  evil,  and  all  their  Righteousness  as  filthy  rags.  If  they 
had  remained  in  ignorance  of  their  utter  sinfulness,  and  never  dis- 
covered that  not  to  be  in  God  is  to  be  evil,  that  to  be  trying  to  do 
good  by  our  own  power,  and  not  to  have  the  Spirit  of  God  in  us  to 
do  it  for  us,  is  to  be  like  the  beasts ;  if  they  had  not  known  this,  then 
they  would  have  remained  like  the  beasts  that  perish,  and  never  have 
known  God,  and  have  been  always  dreaming  of  righteousness  from 
themselves  and  imagining  their  evil  to  be  good :  they  would  never 
have  known  Him,  that  he  only  is  God,  he  only  is  good,  he  is  Right- 
eousness itself,  and  all  that  are  good  are  only  so  by  being  filled  with 
him ! 

How,  without  this  teaching,  could  they  look  to  God  only  for 
Righteousness  ?  Therefore  the  law  is  as  it  were  a  school-master, 
pointing  to  Christ  the  Righteousness  of  God.  Therefore  David  says, 
"  Blessed  is  the  man  whom  thou  choosest,  O  Lord,  and  teachest  him 
out  of  thy  Law."  And  again  he  says  why  he  is  blessed,  and  why 
God  teaches  him  by  his  law,  that  it  is  noi;  to  set  him  to  work,  to  do 
something,  no,  far  from  it,  but  to  give  him  Rest,  even  perfect  rest 
from  all  his  own  works  and  vain  doings !  and  this  Rest,  this  Sabbath 
from  his  own  doings,  this  is  Christ  !  Yes,  it  is  to  give  him  Rest, 
and  not  to  make  him,  Iniquity,  good,  that  is  God !  Christ  has  de- 
stroyed in  his  own  body  on  the  tree  the  beast,  the  flesh,  the  old  man 
of  sin,  born  of  Adam,  even  Iniquity,  which  never  can  be  good,  (John 
iii.  6,)  which  is  not  subject  to  God's  law,  and  cannot  be,  (Rs.)  and 
all  they  who  believe  are  dead  with  him,  that  this  man  of  sin  may  be 


70  THE  GOSPEL  OF  OOD. 

destroyed,  (not  ameliorated  nor  made  good,)  that  henceforth  they 
should  not  serve  this  body,  nor  do  its  works,  but  live  in  Jesus  Christ, 
clothed  in  the  Righteousness  of  God  ! 

They  therefore  know  nothing  of  God,  they  do  not  believe  in  God, 
who  dream,  and  they  are  called  filthy  dreamers,  (Jude) — who  dream 
that  they,  filthy  men  and  women,  can  follow  this  holy  law,  this 
perfect  rule  of  perfect  righteousness  !  who  dream  that  they,  being 
evil,  can  work  the  Righteousness  of  God !  for  the  Righteousness  of 
the  law,  all  true  Righteousness  is  the  Righteousness  of  God  ! 

He  who  imagines  that  good  can  come  from  his  utmost  efforts  to 
follow  this  law  of  good,  does  not  believe  that  God  alone  is  only  good, 
the  only  fountain  and  source  of  good,  and  the  only  doer  of  good  :  he 
believes  in  himself  and  not  in  God  ;  he  sets  up  himself  for  God  and 
Saviour ;  himself  a  man  of  sin,  a  beast  before  God,  or  his  regener- 
ated self,  a  fiction,  an  imagination,  an  image  of  himself,  a  speaking 
image  of  the  beast.  (Revs,  xiii.)  But  if  he  says  in  the  all-deceiva- 
bleness  of  unrighteousness,  that  he  believes  in  God  and  only  partly 
seeks  to  do  good  by  following  partly  the  law  as  a  rule  of  life,  that  is, 
as  a  guide  for  him  to  do  good,  then  he  expects  good  from  himself, 
and  not  from  God  only  !  But  God  cannot  be  believed  in  partly,  nor 
by  halves ;  he  saves  wholly  and  altogether  by  himself,  there  is  no 
God  with  him,  no  Saviour  besides  him,  no  arm  to  help  him ;  He  is 
God  alone,  and  his  glory  he  will  not  give  unto  another.  He  who 
thinks  therefore  that  any,  the  least  good  or  Righteousness  can  come 
by  his  trying  to  do  good,  he  entirely  rejects  the  good,  the  Righteous- 
ness of  God,  for  he  does  not  want  it,  it  is  not  quite  good  enough  for 
him,  he  must  put  some  of  his  own  filthiness  to  it ! 

It  will  be  more  tolerable  in  the  day  of  judgment  for  those  wicked 
persons,  the  inhabitants  of  the  Sea,  who  have  openly  and  altogether 
denied  Christ,  than  for  those  deceitful,  double-minded  men  who  have 
pretended  to  believe  in  him  and  honour  him,  while  they  followed 
after  their  own  righteousness  and  believed  in  themselves :  who  had 
rather  he  should  make  their  wickedness  good  and  acceptable,  (which 
is  impossible,)  than  receive  him  at  once  to  be  all  their  Righteous- 
ness and  do  all  good  for  them,  (which  is  easy  to  him  and  is  his  very 
work  and  Grace) :  who  have  said  in  their  hearts  we  will  join  Christ 
with  Belial,  we  will  do  good  and  he  shall  make  even  that  to  be  good, 
and  make  up  all  deficiencies  besides  !  thus  we  will  save  ourselves, 
and  to  show  our  humility  we  will  say  we  are  great  sinners  and  call 
him  the  Saviour  ! 

To  preach  "  do  good,"  (if  it  be  indeed  and  really  good,)  is  to 
preach  the  law  of  God,  and  with  it  the  curse  and  death,  because  the 
very  law  which  commands  to  do  good,  at  the  same  time  declares, 
"  there  is  none  that,  doeth  good,  no,  not  OHe."  Therefore,  there  is  no 
gospel  whatever,  no  good  news,  no  |>eace,  nothing  but  the  tidings  of 
destruction  and  death  in  such  preaching ;  it  signifies  not  whatever 
deceitful  appearances  of  gospel  may  be  mixed  with  it ;  if  the  law  is 
there,  the  inevitable  curse  is  there  too,  and  no  blessing  can  be  min- 
gled and  joined  with  cursing.  To  preach  therefore  to  men  to  do 
good  is  utterly  vain  ;  it  is  practicidly  to  tell  men  there  is  no  Christ, 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD.  71 

no  Messiah,  no  Righteousness  of  God,  and  no  salvation.  It  is 
utterly  vain,  even  if  it  be  done  with  all  faithfulness  and  truth,  if  even 
the  whole  law  of  God  be  ri'ally  taught,  and  all  its  goodness  and 
excellence,  and  all  its  virtue  and  good  actions  be  inculcated  in  all 
fulness  and  truth  :  it  is  altogether  vain  as  concerns  salvation  ;  it  is 
good  only  for  condemnation,  for  a  bridle  and  whip  for  the  fools'  back, 
for  a  terror  to  wicked  transgressors. 

But  the  deceitful  Anti-Christ,  this  religious  generation,  the  Earth, 
the  earthly  men,  they  do  not  preach  the  Law  of  God  at  all,  nor  its 
real  and  perfect  commands,  in  all  their  vain  preaching  and  teaching. 
The  "  do  good"  which  they  preach,  is  a  false  law  of  their  own 
invention,  it  is  not  the  perfect,  righteous,  holy,  moral  and  excellent 
law  of  God,  which  commands  men  to  do  all  good  to  one  another,  not 
to  covet  houses,  money  and  lands.,  nor  lend  out  their  money  upon 
usury,  nor  to  take  a  pledge  from  the  needy  ;  the  "  do  gooiV  which 
they  preach  is  all  to  be  fulfilled  by  subscribing  to  their  confederacies, 
attending  their  meetings,  assuming  their  looks,  adopting  their  lan- 
guage, making  an  outside  show,  pretending  to  be  a  sinner,  and  to 
have  felt  convictions,  subscribing  money  for  the  "  cause,"  becoming 
one  of  them,  being  puffed  up  with  vain  conceit,  trusting  they  will  go  to 
heaven,  and  swelling  with  fleshly  dreams  and  good  feelings,  and  talking 
idly  and  audaciously  of  Grace  and  love  and  glory,  and  their  inward 
experiences  !  "  speaking  great  swelling  words  of  vanity,  not  knowing 
tvhat  they  say,  nor  lohereof  they  a^rm  f"  Herein  is  their  salvation  ; 
and  to  those  who  join  them,  they  confidently  proclaim  peace,  when 
there  is  no  peace  :  so  anxious  is  each  whorish  church  to  get  and 
increase  the  number  of  her  lovers,  (Ezk.)  that  "  they  alhire  through 
much  wantonness  of  the  fesh,''^  and  use  all  sorts  of  attractions,  hold- 
ing out  the  lure  of  fleshly  advantage,  of  worldly  benefit,  profit  and 
gain,  to  attract  lovers,  saying  that  men  will  save  money  by  leaving 
the  tippling  house  and  joining  them,  and  that  they  will  be  more  re- 
spectable and  get  on  better  in  the  world  ! 

If  he  be  utterly  vain  as  it  is,  even  to  preach  perfect  and  real 
good-doing,  and  all  the  truth  and  righteousness  of  God's  law, — if 
even  all  this,  without  even  the  least  drawback,  is  vain  and  unprofita- 
ble through  the  weakness  of  the  flesh,  and  only  kills  instead  of 
giving  life,  (Rs.  vii.)  then  how  vain,  how  monstrous,  how  wicked, 
how  horribly  abominable,  is  all  this  their  preaching  of  all  this  their 
good,  which  is  not  good  !  which  is  abomination  !  How  utterly  vain 
is  their  austere  inculcation  of  their  pious  practices,  their  fleshly  Sab- 
bath keeping,  their  society-joining,  their  church-joining,  their  tract 
distributing,  their  abstinence  from  drinks  and  balls  and  theatres  and 
ribbons,  their  mournful  looks,  their  howling  and  groaning,  their 
money  gatherings,  their  missionary  and  benevolent  exertions  ! 

If  the  preaching  of  God's  holy  and  good  law,  in  fulness  and  with- 
out diminution  or  drawback,  be  a  vanity,  and  be  the  preaching  neither 
of  Gospel  nor  of  blessing,  what  a  vanity,  what  more  than  vanity  are 
all  these  inventions,  these  idle,  foolish  and  wicked  substitutes,  these 
proud-swelling  and  earthly  ostentations !  Never,  no  never,  in  any 
age  of  the  world,  or   by   any  people,  was   iniquity   so  completely 


72  THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD. 

masked  and  disguised  and  carried  to  such  an  exalted,  such  a  tremen- 
dous pitch  !  Samaria's  open  idolatry  (the  Greek  and  Roman  Catholic 
Churches)  is  abominable,  but  it  is  gross  :  but  the  deceitful  hypocrisy 
of  Judah  (and  the  Protestant  Churches)  is  most  abominable,  it  is  a 
refinement  of  deception  and  wickedness,  a  counterfeit,  to  deceive, 
if  it  were  possible,  the  very  elect  !  The  wisdom  and  knowledge  of 
earthly  man  hath  brought  to  pass  these  perversions,  (Is.)  because  the 
wisdom  of  God,  "  Believe,"  and  nothing  more,  was  too  foolish  for 
them  !  They  laugh  and  scoff  (Peter)  at  the  very  idea  of  sitting  still, 
of  standing  still,  doing  nothing,  and  having  the  strength  of  the  Al- 
mighty God  !  (Is.)  They  have  chosen  their  own  way,  and  despised 
God's  way,  and  he  hath  loft  them  to  their  own  delusions.  This  is 
the  strange,  the  wonderful  work  which  God  hath  done.  (Is.)  God 
who  searcheth  the  hearts  and  trieth  the  reins,  hath  tried  them,  it 
has  been  "  the  hovi'  of  temptation  to  try  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth,'''' 
(that  is,  the  earthy  men,  the  professors  of  religion  and  piety  ;  the 
self-creators,  the  wise  men,  the  self-electors  !)  They  professed  to 
be  wise,  to  be  able  to  know  God  as  they  pleased,  and  to  be  ready 
and  obedient  to  obey  his  word,  and  God  has  tried  them  if  they 
would  do  so,  and  they  have  denied  that  God  is  God,  that  power  is 
only  his,  that  he  only  has  understanding  and  giveth  understanding, 
and  doeth  whatsoever  he  will  and  saveth  whom  he  will.  And  deny- 
ing God  and  his  Might,  they  have  received  Satan  and  all  his  delu- 
sions, they  have  greedily  swallowed  up  the  flood  of  lies  and  follies 
and  blasphemies  and  abominations,  which  he  has  cast  out  of  his 
mouth  :  (Rev.  xii.)  for  there  is  no  folly  and  wickedness  of  false 
doctrine  which  in  these  last  days  the  inhabiters  of  the  earth  have  not 
greedily  swallowed. 

Never  will  the  truth  of  God  "  pride  goeth  before  a  fall,"  which 
has  already  been  proved  true,  be  so  fully  proved  as  when  their  day 
Cometh,  when  all  their  works  and  confidences,  and  troops  and  con- 
federacies will  melt  away  in  an  instant,  like  wax  before  the  presence 
of  the  Lord,  and  they  will  have  nothing  to  lay  hold  of,  nothing  to 
hope  in,  and  no  where  to  look,  when  all  their  proud  buildings  which 
now  appear  to  them  so  solid  and  excellent,  will  fall  with  a  great  fall, 
and  the  sandiness  of  the  foundation  be  plainly  revealed.  They  are 
those  who  say,  and  with  all  their  saying  they  do  not ;  they  worship 
a  speaking  image,  they  are  great  speakers,  but  they  are  not  doers  of 
the  word  :  nor  can  they  be,  not  having  Christ,  nor  desiring  him  to 
do  all  for  them !  at  being  thus  real  doers  they  scoff,  saying  "  what  ? 
are  we  to  sit  still  and  do  nothing?"  that  is  to  say,  "  what  ?  are  we 
to  believe  V  This  great  wisdom  of  God  is  foolishness  to  them.  (1 
Cor.) 

But  if  any  one  should  say,  how  can  a  man  be  guilty  if  he  is  not 
elect?  What?  because  there  are  holy,  elect  angels  in  heaven,  is 
therefore  the  wickedness  which  is  done  on  the  eai'th  no  wickedness 
at  all  ?  Is  there  therefore  no  law  and  no  justice  against  deliberate, 
malicious  and  desperate  wickedness?  God  forbid!  And  because 
God  is  willing  to  show  mercy,  and  from  everlasting  was  so  deter- 
mined, and  therefore  has  an  elect  people,  a  remnant  who  will  lx;lieve 


THE  UOSl'EL  OK  GOO.  73 

and  whom  he  will  save,  does  that  make  wickedness  to  be  no  wicked- 
ness ?  Does  God's  mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy  clear  the 
guilty  ?  (Exodus.)  Whether  there  were  elect  angels  or  not,  whether 
there  were  elect  vessels  or  not,  wickedness  is  wickedness,  and  those 
who  hate  God,  who  hate  his  Righteousness,  and  wantonly  and  ma- 
liciously despise  his  word,  and  do  unrighteousness,  are  wicked, 
maliciously  and  willingly  wicked,  and  God  will  show  his  power  by 
them,  and  he  hardens  their  hearts  because  of  their  pride  and  wisdom, 
and  they  cannot  escape  the  justice  of  the  law  by  which  every  one 
will  be  judged  according  to  the  deeds  which  he  has  done  !  What 
has  the  existence  of  a  righteous  generation  (made  righteous  by  great 
grace  and  mercy)  to  do  with  the  guilt  of  the  wicked  ?  It  interferes 
with  their  criminality  no  more  than  the  existence  of  a  race  of  fishes 
in  the  sea,  or  of  birds  in  the  air  !  They  say  and  know  they  ought 
to  do  good,  they  say  they  can,  and  yet  they  do  that  which  is  evil, 
and  they  fight  against  and  wrest  deceitfully  God's  words,  and  despise 
and  set  at  naught  his  Mercy  and  his  Christ.  Let  them  really  do 
good  and  they  have  nothing,  no  nothing  whatever  to  fear,  they,  even 
they  themselves  shall  save  their  souls  alive. 

God's  Grace  in  Christ  Jesus  to  them  that  believe  in  his  Name, 
«  THE  LORD  OUR  RIGHTEOUSNESS,"  does  not  set  aside  the 
law,  the  very  principle  of  right  and  wrong :  they  who  do  wrong 
shall  suflfer  for  the  wrong  they  do,  and  he  will  save  those  who  lay 
hold  of  Jesus  Christ,  who  shall  be  found  sprinkled  with  his  blood  and 
cleansed  from  all  their  wrong.  But  the  existence  of  a  saved  and 
redeemed  people,  will  not  overthrow  God's  law,  nor  bestow  impunity 
to  wickedness. 

Therefore  let  a  man  beware  how  he  dream  of  rioting  in  evil  with 
impunity,  pretending  that  because  God  will  have  mercy  on  whom  he 
will  have  mercy,  he  need  not  therefore  care  what  he  does  !  God  is 
righteous  and  will  judge  the  world  in  equity :  every  one  will  receive 
according  to  his  deeds,  and  will  only  be  condemned  for  the  wrong 
which  he  has  done  ;  whether  there  be  a  Gospel  or  not,  that  does  not 
alter  the  case.  It  is  a  fearful  thing  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the 
living  God.  The  law  of  God  says  to  all  flesh,  "  beware  lest  ye 
perish,"  and  they  will  not  hear.  But  the  love  of  God  says  to  his 
people  (and  it  is  the  Word  the  power  of  God)  "  Come  unto  me," 
and  they  hear  the  voice  of  this  love  by  the  Word  of  God  and  they 
come,  and  they  shall  come,  and  shall  never  perish.  "  My  sheep  hear 
my  voice" — "  he  that  is  of  God  heareth  God's  words"  but  sinful 
flesh  heareth  them  not,  and  will  never  hear,  but  will  do  wickedly 
and  will  not  understand,  (Daniel  xii.  10,)  and  shall  be  judged  and 
perish  as  if  there  never  had  been  any  Gospel  given,  as  also  they 
must,  for  their  wickedness,  if  there  never  had  been  any. 


10 


74  THE  GOSPEL  OF  G01>. 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

Of  the  Sea  and  the  Earth  ;  that  they  both  agree  in  the  same  wicked 

doctrine. 

The  Sea,  in  the  prophetic  language  of  the  Scripture,  describes  the 
world  in  general ;  the  Earth,  standing  out  of  the  Sea,  describes  the 
religious  or  professing  world,  who  are  apparently  separated  and 
come  out  from  the  world.  The  Sea  describes  man  as  he  really  is. 
As  the  Sea  is  sometimes  calm  and  smooth  as  glass,  so  man  appears 
innocent  and  harmless ;  but  the  calm  is  deceitful,  they  are  only 
waiting  to  do  evil.  As  the  sea,  when  the  four  winds  blow  upon  it, 
rages  dreadfully  and  is  ungovernable,  so  are  men,  when  they  are 
moved  by  the  winds  of  those  lusts  which  proceed  out  of  their  hearts, 
or  when  Satan  enters  into  them  and  foments  the  evil ;  when  roused 
by  the  love  of  gain,  or  the  fear  of  loss,  then  they  are  like  the  raging 
sea,  unutterably  and  diabolically  violent  and  wicked.  Thus  the  Sea, 
with  fidelity  of  description,  describes,  by  one  word,  the  world  at 
large  and  those  of  it  whom  the  men  of  earthly  religion  call  infidels. 
As  the  Sea  is  far  more  extensive  than  the  Earth,  and  spreads  over  a 
much  larger  surface,  so  are  those  far  the  most  numerous  who  do  not 
believe  what  is  called  Christianity.  The  infidels  of  the  world,  like 
the  waves  of  the  Sea,  are  violently  opposed  to  the  religious  world, 
the  earth ;  they  foam  and  dash  against  it,  like  waves  of  the  Sea,  and 
make  in  some  parts  great  inroads  upon  it :  they  are  also  high  and 
lifted  up,  and  proud,  boisterous  and  blasphemous :  like  raging  waves 
of  the  Sea,  they  defy  all  restraint  and  acknowledge  no  master ;  they 
say,  '■'■our  tongues  are  our  own,  roho  is  lord  over  us?"  Wherefore 
the  "  Sea"  is  employed  to  signify  the  infidel  world. 

The  Earth  describes  the  religious  world,  which  is  comparatively 
a  small  portion  of  professors  standing  out  of  the  Sea.  No  word  like 
this  could  so  aptly  describe  the  religious  professors.  They  are  men 
of  the  earth,  earthy  and  sensual :  all  their  doctrines  are  of  the  earth, 
their  wisdom  is  earthly,  (James  iii.  14,  15,)  their  knowledge  and  un- 
derstanding is  earthly,  natural,  and  taught  of  men ;  their  practices 
are  earthly  ;  their  hopes,  views  and  ambitions  are  earthly ;  they 
mind  earthly  things  ;  their  foundation  is  built  upon  the  earth  ;  their 
fruits  are  of  the  earth  ;  their  conversation  is  upon  the  earth,  (not  in 
heaven ;)  their  thoughts  are  upon  the  earth,  and  they  bring  forth 
briars  and  thorns,  (having  fallen  away  from  the  truth  of  which  they 
have  had,  and  profess  still  to  have  the  light  and  the  knowledge,)  and 
are  nigh  unto  cursing,  whose  end  is  to  be  burned.  (Heb.  vi.  8.) 
Thus  no  word  could  possibly  have  been  selected  so  true  and  exact  to 
describe  them. 

These  two,  the  sea  and  the  earth,  (that  is,  both  infidels  and  the 
professors  of  religion  and  piety,)  do  now  agree  in  doctrine,  and  in 
believing  the  same  lie,  and  in  denying  the  same  Truth  ;  the  Sea  is 
bold  and  undisguised,  the  Earth  indirect  and  disguised  in  its  error 
and  wickedness. 

The  lie  they  believe  is  one,  and  it  includes  all  lies,  namely,  that 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD.  75 

God  is  NOT  the  Creator,  that  is,  He  is  not  God  !  And  the  truth 
which  they  agree  in  denying,  and  which  they  will  not  receive  and 
acknowledge,  is  one,  and  it  includes*all  truth,  namely,  that  God  is 
God  alone.  The  philosophical  and  wise  infidels,  raging  waves  of  the 
Sea,  say  that  the  worlds  are  self-existent,  self-created,  that  God  did 
not  create  them,  they  were  not  created  at  all,  or  they  created  them- 
selves. The  Earthly  professors  also,  in  their  wisdom  and  knowledge 
say  the  same,  of  the  new  and  far  more  glorious,  creation  of  God ; 
namely,  that  it  is  self-existent  and  self-created,  that  God  does  not 
himself  alone,  by  his  power  alone,  create  his  own  redeemed  people, 
they  create  themselves  if  they  please.  This  is  to  deny  God,  it  is  to 
say  there  is  no  God,  and  all  the  train  of  confusion  and  lies  follows 
with  this ;  and  yet  the  depths  of  Satan  are  such,  that  with  this  lie  as 
their  fundamental  doctrine,  they  make  themselves  appear  to  be,  and 
persuade  themselves  that  they  are  the  servants  of  God,  even  of  him 
whose  word  and  doctrine  they  hate  and  deny. 

The  leading,  the  essential  doctrine  of  the  Earth  is,  that  to  believe 
(which  is  to  be  created  and  made  alive  from  the  dead)  is  the  work 
of  man ;  that  it  is  in  the  power  of  man,  even  of  man,  if  he  pleases  ! 
This  is  a  total  denial  of  God  the  Creator,  and  it  is  idolatry,  for  it  is 
making  corruptible  man,  even  the  man  of  sin,  the  wicked  one,  a 
Creator  and  a  god,  exalting  him  above  Him  whom  they  yet  pretend 
to  call  God,  as  it  is  foretold  should  be  in  the  last  day  before  the 
coming  of  Christ.     (2  Thess.  ii.  3.) 

This  lie,  which  to  them  is  a  pious,  a  benevolent  and  rational  doc- 
trine, namely,  that  a  man  may  and  can  believe  if  he  pleases,  or  that 
it  is  in  the  power  of  man  to  believe,  they  insist  upon  and  preach  as 
the  means  of  inducing  wicked  men  to  turn  to  God !  without  it  they 
have  no  hope  whatever  that  a  man  can  be  saved !  Thus  they  have 
no  hope  whatever,  but  in  the  Power  of  Man  !  all  their  Gospel  is  the 
Power  of  Man  !  and  after  such  a  compliment  paid  to  human  supre- 
macy and  power,  they  trust  the  wicked  beast  can  hardly  refuse,  yea, 
he  may  perchance  be  persuaded  and  induced,  even  by  the  grace  of 
God,  (which  they  make  an  auxiliary  to  their  own  omnipotence,)  to 
put  forth  his  Power  and  ascend  into  heaven !  and  then,  having  thus 
exalted  himself,  and  sitting  in  the  temple  of  God,  this  Wicked  One 
lyingly  pretends  to  ascribe  all  the  glory  to  the  grace  of  God,  by 
which  hypocrisy  they  also  proclaim  their  doctrine  and  faith  to  be 
nothing  but  a  lie,  and  thus  they  are  involved  in  lies  and  confusion, 
and  are  truly  a  City  of  Confusion,  that  is,  Babylon ! 

This  their  doctrine  is  entirely  their  own  invention,  and  is  the  fruit 
of  their  own  wisdom  and  knowledge,  for  there  is  not  one  word  nor 
syllable  nor  letter  in  the  whole  Scripture  of  God,  from  beginning  to 
end,  containing  such  an  abominable  doctrine  and  wicked  lie  !  How 
then  do  they  persuade  themselves  that  they  find  this  their  doctrine 
in  the  Scriptures?  They  obtain  it  by  inference,  by  their  own  gross 
and  earthly  argumentation  and  reasoning,  by  forming  their  own 
fleshly  deductions  and  inferences  from  the  spiritual  Word  of  life  ! 
They  argue   and    infer  that   because  the   Word  says  "  Believe" — 


76  THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD. 

"  Repent  and  believe  the  Gospel,^''  that  therefore  it  is  as  a  matter  of 
course  in  the  power  of  man  to  repent  and  believe  the  Gospel !  And 
so  their  whole  faith  and  religion  and  all  their  hopes  and  vain  confi- 
dences are  built  and  founded  upon  a  vain  and  fleshly  inference  of  the 
human  understanding,  and  thus  are  they  built  upon  the  foundation  of 
man,  a  scarlet  beast !  on  this  are  they  seated,  as  well  as  their  Mother, 
the  Mother  of  harlots,  (Rev.  xvii.  3,)  upon  whose  more  gross  corpo- 
real idolatry  and  harlotry  they  have  more  spiritually  and  hypocriti- 
cally refined. 

"  By  the  Word  of  the  Lord  were  the  heavens  made,  and  all  the 
host  of  them  by  the  breath  of  his  mouth  !"  "  He  spake,  and  it  teas 
done .'"  By  the  same  Word  of  the  Lord,  which  is  Christ,  and  by 
the  same  breath  of  his  mouth,  which  is  the  Spirit  of  God,  we  are 
begotten  again  to  a  lively  hope  ;  that  is,  by  the  same  Word  and 
Mighty  Power  of  God  our  Creator,  we  believe  !  and  live  !  We  are 
his  workmanship,  and  He  is  our  Creator  !  (Eph.  ii.  10.)  As  a  man 
cannot  even  enter  into  this  earthly  life,  in  which  as  soon  as  we  be 
born  we  go  astray,  speaking  lies,  so  much  more  a  man  cannot 
believe,  that  is,  enter  or  be  born  into  that  eternal  life  in  which  we 
live  in  Christ  the  Righteousness  of  God  !  Of  both  lives  God  is  the 
Creator;  yea,  the  Lord,  He  is  God,  and  besides  him  there  is  no  other 
God,  and  especially  the  wicked  one  is  not  as  God,  able  to  create 
himself! 

As  it  is  wicked  and  rebellious  (Is.)  to  complain  that  this  earthly 
life  is  the  gift  and  creation  of  God,  so  it  is  much  more  wicked  to 
rebel  against  the  fact  that  faith,  the  entering  into  heavenly  life,  is 
His  gift,  and  that  they  to  whom  it  is  given  are  his  creation  !  Where- 
fore it  is  not  in  the  power  of  man  to  believe,  as  it  is  not  in  his  power 
to  create  :  he  is  not  God  ! 

What  use?  what  good  then  is  it,  (says  the  proud  and  ignorant  mind 
of  fleshly  man,)  to  preach  the  Gospel  .'  if  it  is  not  at  all  in  the  power 
of  man  to  believe  ?  and  if  faith  is  (as  it  surely  is)  altogether  and  only 
the  work,  word  and  power  of  God  ?  Thou  fool  !  (Psalm.)  What 
use  1  what  good  then  was  it  that  God  should  speak  the  word  and 
call  the  worlds  into  existence,  if  it  was  not  at  all  in  the  power  of  the 
worlds  to  exist  themselves  1  But  if  God  had  not  spoken  the  word 
they  would  never  have  been  created ;  and  so  also  if  Christ  did  not 
make  the  word  of  his  gospel,  namely,  "  Believe,"  to  be  heard,  no 
one  would  or  could  be  saved!  Therefore  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel 
is  to  them  that  are  saved,  the  Power  of  God,  but  to  them  that  perish, 
abiding  in  unrighteousness)  it  is  foolishness.  When  the  dead,  (and 
to  do  unrighteousness  is  to  be  dead,)  when  the  dead  hear  the  voice 
of  Christ,  they  live:  therefore  it  is  that  the  Gospel  is  preached,  (for 
it  is  the  voice  of  Christ,)  that  they  who  are  dead  and  whom  he 
pleases  to  make  alive,  yea,  only  whom  he  pleases,  may  hear  and 
live  !  "  The  Son  quickeneth  whom  he  will .'"  Therefore  the  Gospel 
of  God  is  the  word  of  God,  it  is  the  very  Voice  and  Power  of  God  ! 
by  which  the  worlds  were  made,  by  which  the  dead  are  made  alive, 
that  is,  believe  ;  and  it  is  "  according  to   the  good  pleasure  of  his 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD.  77 

will."  It  is  the  same  word  and  Power  of  God  by  which  all  things 
were  made,  without  any  power  to  make  themselves  ;  when  he  merely 
"  spake,  it  was  done  !  he  commanded  and  they  stood  fast !" 

It  is  therefore  the  most  abominable  and  most  audacious  Atheism, 
to  say  that  it  is  man,  that  wicked  one,  who  if  he  only  pleases,  has 
power  to  believe  !  that  is,  has  power  though  he  is  dead  and  exists 
not  spiritually,  to  create  himself  and  enter  into  life,  if  he  pleases ! 
This  is  that  exaltation  of  sinful  man  (or  the  man  of  sin)  above  all 
that  is  called  God,  (merely  called  by  courtesy,  God,)  which  is  spoken 
of  by  the  Apostle  !  (2  Thess.  ii.  4.)  This  is  his  Time,  in  which  he 
is  now  fully  revealed !  But  as  the  Lord  God  liveth,  who  verily  is 
the  Creator,  the  Time  shall  be  no  longer  ! 

The  dead  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the  Son  of  God,  and  they  that 
hear  shall  live  !  Therefore  blessed  be  God,  yea,  for  ever  blessed  be 
our  God,  for  preaching  his  Gospel,  for  it  is  the  voice  of  the  Son  of 
God,  which  raiseth  the  dead  and  maketh  them  alive  ;  which  word,  if 
it  were  not  spoken  and  they  did  not  hear,  they  never  would  live, 
there  would  be  no  salvation  !  He  speaks  the  word,  and  they  hear, 
and  believe,  and  live  !  But  why  do  not  all  hear  ?  because  they 
are  wickedly  and  maliciously  rebellious,  haters  of  God,  and  disobe- 
dient, that  is,  dead.  And  why  do  some  of  the  rebellious  and  disobe- 
dient hear?  because  God  will  have  mercy  and  give  them  ears  to 
hear ;  it  is  everlasting  mercy  !  "  yea,  upon  the  rebellious  also,  that 
the  Lord  God  may  dwell  amon^,  that  is,  in  them  /"  When  they 
believe,  they  enter  into  life  ;  they  are  born,  and  verily  they  are  born 
"  not  of  the  will  of  the  jlesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  hut  of  God," 
for  it  is  only  God  who  is  merciful,  who  hath  good  will  towards  man 
and  will  save  many  !  So  he  who  believes  is  born  of  God  and  is  a 
child  of  God,  and  he  can  joyfully  praise  God  and  give  glory  to  him, 
saying,  Blessed  art  thou  O  God,  my  God,  for  to  Thee  I  owe  my 
existence  in  Christ,  thou  hast  created  me  and  not  I  myself,  thanks, 
thanks  be  to  Thee,  O  my  Father  and  my  Creator,  Glory  be  only  to 
Thee,  O  My  God,  by  thy  great  favour  I  am  what  I  am ! 

Yea,  let  God's  children  who  believe  in  his  name,  his  Power,  his 
Grace,  his  Righteousness,  even  in  Him,  for  all  this  is  Him,  let 
them  know  and  love  the  Truth,  (and  God  will  give  them  understand- 
ing and  the  Spirit  of  a  sound  mind,)  lest  they  be  wise  in  their  own 
conceits,  lest  they  fall  into  the  error  of  the  wicked,  and  not  acknow- 
ledge God  to  be  the  Creator  of  all  things  in  heaven  and  in  earth. 
For  the  time  now  is  when  men  will  not  endure  sound  doctrine, 
(2  Tim.  iv.  3,)  but  it  is  the  foundation  and  comer-stone  of  their 
religion  to  deny  that  God  is  the  Creator,  that  He  is  God  alone  ! 
Man  of  sin  says  that  he  is  as  God,  that  he  is  creator,  and  creates 
himself  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven  (that  is,  he  believes  and  can 
believe)  if  he  only  pleases,  according  to  the  pleasure  of  his  will  ! 
Such  are  the  strong  delusions  which  God  in  his  just  indignation  has 
sent  upon  the  earth,  (even  upon  the  religious  world,  because  they 
received  not  the  truth  in  the  love  of  it,)  that  Satan  has  both  seduced 
men  to  overthrow  God's  holy  law  of  right  and  wrong,  and  set  up  in 
its  stead  all  sorts  of  vain  and  foolish  laws,  and  fanciful  criterions  of 


78  THE  GOSPEL  OP  GOD. 

good  which  they  have  invented,  and  has  also  led  them  utterly  and 
altogether,  and  withal  boldly  daringly  and  confidently  to  deny  God  the 
Creator,  and  set  up  sinful  man  as  God  !  and  all  this  is  done  under  the 
very  name  and  pretence  of  being  very  zealous  for  God  and  serving 
him  !  This  time  has  been  foretold,  its  limits  are  marked  out,  and 
the  day  is  close  at  hand  that  it  shall  be  no  longer :  yea,  let  not  the 
man  of  sin,  let  not  the  false  prophets  and  teachers  of  his  lies  think 
to  go  on  much  longer,  for  God  hath  confirmed  by  an  oath  the  cer- 
tainty of  the  approaching  end  of  all  these  abominations.  He  causeth 
his  servant  to  swear  that  as  the  Lord  liveth  this  Time  shall  be  no 
longer ! 

Let  the  elect  and  beloved  child  of  God,  to  whom  it  is  given  to 
believe  in  his  Name,  know  that  God  is  the  Creator,  that  he  has  a 
family  in  heaven,  and  will  add  to  them  from  out  of  the  earth,  (Jude, 
v.  22,)  and  also  from  out  of  the  sea,  out  of  which,  as  the  Prophet 
Isaiah  has  said,  he  will  save  a  multitude  ;  and  they  are  all  elect : 
they  are  his  workmanship,  it  is  according  to  the  good  pleasure 
of  his  will,  according  to  his  Grace,  and  his  everlasting  purpose 
of  love  !  Thus  it  is,  He  who  made  heaven  and  all  that  is  therein, 
and  the  Earth  and  all  that  is  therein,  and  the  Sea  and  all  that 
therein  is  !  The  only  reason  why  Michael  is  his  archangel,  is 
because  God  has  made  him  such ;  the  only  reason  why  his  holy 
angels  are  holy  and  in  heaven,  is  because  God  has  made  them 
such  and  placed  them  there  ;  and  let  him  know  also,  that  the  only 
reason  why  a  sinner  is  or  will  be  saved  out  of  the  Earth,  and  out  of 
the  Sea,  why  he  will  hear  and  believe,  is  only  because  it  is  the  gra- 
cious will  and  pleasure  of  God  the  Creator  to  have  everlasting  mercy 
upon  him  !  because  He  giveth  him  life,  giving  him  to  believe,  having 
chosen  him  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  to  dwell  in  him  !  All 
is  merely  according  to  his  pleasure  !  '■'■for  thy  pleasure  they  are  and 
were  created  /"    (Rev.  iv.  11.)    God  is  God  alone  ! 

This  first  and  most  glorious  Name  of  God  in  Christ,  cannot  be 
given  to  another,  nor  be  arrogated  by  creatures  of  any  kind,  much 
less  by  exceedingly  sinful  creatures  !  it  is  this,  "God  who  created  !" 
But  they  who  daringly  affirm  and  imagine  that  man  of  sin  can  give 
himself  life  if  he  pleases,  can  raise  himself  from  the  dead,  can  create 
himself  into  life,  can  hear  and  believe,  if  he  an  evil  and  disobedient 
creature  pleases,  they  affirm  and  imagine  that  he  being  exceedingly 
evil  is  as  God  !  And  thus  the  doctrine  of  the  Sea  and  of  the  Earth, 
(of  the  philosophical  world  and  of  the  religious  world,)  astonishing  as 
it  is,  is  truly  one  and  the  same  ;  showing  that  without  knowing  it, 
(for  they  are  blind,)  they  belong  to  and  serve  one  same  master, 
Satan.  To  such  an  end  his  own  wisdom  and  knowledge  has  led  the 
earthly  wise  man.  (Is.  xlvii.  10.)  The  Sea  believes  that  the  worlds 
created  themselves  and  are  self-existent,  and  the  Eartii  (the  religious 
professors)  believe  the  same  of  a  creation  far  more  exceedingly 
glorious  and  eternal !  Against  the  wicked  doctrine  of  both  (which 
is  the  doctrine  of  devils)  God  testifies :  the  doctrine  of  both,  is  one 
and  the  same,  altiiough  they  so  bitterly  hate  each  other,  and  fight 
and  are  divided,  yet  Satan's  kingdom  is  not  divided,  it  is  one ;  his 


THE  GOSPEL  OF  GOD.  79 

divinity  and  morality  is  one,  the  doctrines  of  the  Sea  and  the  Earth 
are  one,  and  the  whole  of  it  is,  the  exalting  of  the  power  and  wisdom 
and  goodness  and  virtue  of  a  wicked  and  malicious  beast,  and  denying 
and  rejecting  the  Power  and  Goodness  and  Mercy  and  Salvation  of 
God  !  Therefore,  in  preaching  and  testifying  against  them  both,  he 
who  writes  these  words  preaches  and  testifies,  that  is,  sets  his  feet 
upon  both  of  them,  placing  one  foot  upon  the  sea  and  the  other  upon 
the  earth,  and  cries  against  them  with  a  loud  voice,  and  thus  the 
Scriptures  are  fulfilled,  which  cannot  be  broken  ! 

Their  doctrine  is  one,  and  the  source  is  one,  it  is  the  pride  and 
rebellion  of  Satan !  To  deny  God's  election  of  Grace,  to  dare  to 
deny  his  sole  Power  and  Will  in  creating  by  the  voice  of  his  word 
the  living  and  believing  man,  is  Atheism.  The  Sea  denies  that  he  is 
the  Creator  of  the  worlds,  that  is  its  Atheism  ;  the  Earth  denies  that 
he  is  the  Creator  of  heaven,  and  that  is  its  Atheism !  And  this 
denial  of  the  Power  of  God  they  call  religion  and  piety  !  Most 
astonishing  depths  of  Satan !  wonderful  all-deceivableness  of  un- 
righteousness !  that  Atheism  and  Idolatry  of  the  worst  and  foulest 
description  should  pass  off"  before  men  for  truth  and  faith  and  love 
and  zeal  and  obedience  to  God !  It  is  the  highest  possible  pitch  to 
which  wickedness  could  attain,  and  the  highest  possible  pitch  of 
deceit  and  pride  and  hypocrisy  ! 


END  OF   PART  I. 


A  LITTLE  BOOK   OPEN. 


PART  THE  SECOND. 


CONTAINING 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST 


TO  HIS  SERVANTS. 


"  Blessed  is  he  that  readeth  and  they  that  hear  the  words  of  this  prophecy,  and 
keep  those  things  which  are  written  therein ;  for  the  time  is  at  hand." 


FROM  THE  HAND  OF  JOHN  WHITEHEAD. 


11 


A  LITTLE  BOOK   OPEN. 


PART  THE   SECOND. 


INTRODUCTION. 


The  revelation  of  Jesus  Christ  does  not  refer  to  the  events  of  this 
world,  nor  to  the  revolutions  and  convulsions  of  men ;  these  things 
which  are  of  great  dignity  in  the  eyes  of  men,  are  of  no  more  real 
importance  than  the  fightings  of  dogs  over  a  bone.  They  relate  only 
to  the  humble  events  which  concern  the  truth  and  doctrine  of  Christ, 
and  his  elect,  a  people  unknown  to  the  world :  these  are  things 
which,  though  little  in  the  eyes  of  men,  God  careth  for. 

If  this  book  of  revelation  had  contained  a  prophecy  of  human  events, 
then  it  would  have  required  a  study  of  human  history  to  understand 
it,  all  which  history  is  written  by  the  spirit  of  falsehood  and  vain 
glory.  God  does  not  send  his  people  to  such  falsehood,  in  order  that 
they  may  understand  his  truth. 

When  Christ  Jesus  was  in  humiliation  on  the  earth,  greatly  suf- 
fering in  the  body  which  had  been  prepared  for  him,  for  the  ungodly, 
though  he  was  and  is  the  Power  of  God,  and  upheld  all  things ; 
though  it  was  he  who  had  given  Augustus  his  empire,  and  gave  him 
whatever  wisdom  he  had  to  rule,  yet  he  took  no  part  in,  and  be- 
stowed no  notice  whatever  upon  the  things  of  the  world.  So  also 
the  Scriptures  of  the  new  testament  which  are  the  word  of  his  mouth, 
bestow  no  notice  whatever  upon  the  events  of  the  world.     So  also 


84  INTRODUCTION. 

this  book  of  revelation  and  prophecy  bestows  not  the  least  notice 
upon  the  things  and  glories  of  this  world,  nor  stops  to  record  the 
roaring  and  fluctuations  of  the  sea,  that  is,  the  world.  It  is  of  very 
little  importance  to  those  who  look  not  at  the  things  which  are  seen, 
but  at  the  things  which  are  not  seen,  to  know  who  were  the  great 
men,  and  what  were  the  great  events  of  that  which  perisheth  for 
ever.  Of  these  things  the  people  of  God,  (not  many  of  whom  are 
wise  men  after  the  flesh,)  generally  know  very  little ;  but  with  what 
relates  to  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  with  the  many  pretences  to 
the  truth  of  God  in  which  they  are  sought  to  be  ensnared,  with  those 
who  give  themselves  out  to  be  possessors  of  the  truth,  these  poor 
people  are  often  better  acquainted  than  the  wise  and  learned  of  this 
world.  These  are  things  which  come  home  to  the  humble  and  igno- 
rant after  this  world  :  these  are  things  God's  people  know  well ; 
these  are  things  which  make  them  stagger  and  be  at  their  wits'  end ; 
these  are  things  in  which  they  want  light  and  instruction ;  and  these 
are  the  very  things  in  which  God  in  his  mercy  and  compassion  to- 
wards them,  has  graciously  given  them  light  and  instruction,  even  by 
this  sure  word  of  prophecy.  Herein  the  wisdom  and  goodness  of 
God  is  to  be  seen.     Here  is  wisdom. 

If  any  should  enquire  why  the  greater  part  of  Christendom  is 
passed  over  with  but  slight  notice,  and  that  the  professors  in  England 
and  America  have  more  notice  bestowed  upon  them,  let  him  reflect, 
that  when  the  account  of  the  falling  away  and  the  first  beast  is  given, 
then  all  the  religious  history  of  all  the  people  settled  down  under  the 
gross  and  external  abominations  of  the  beast,  is  given  once  for  all, 
even  if  their  time  was  to  be  prolonged  for  ages  and  ages.  The 
worship  of  the  first  beast  is  open,  external,  and  not  to  be  mistaken  ; 
no  child  of  God  could  be  deceived  by  it,  or  for  a  moment  suppose 
such  Christians  to  be  servants  of  the  most  high  God.  But  in  Pro- 
testant countries  the  abomination  of  the  beast  is  veiled  and  covered 
under  deeper  disguise  and  more  spiritual  refinements  :  in  England 
and  America,  the  worship  of  the  beast  and  its  image  is  spiritual 
wickedness,  so  deceitful  and  so  all  deceivablc,  that  if  it  were  possible 
they  would  deceive  the  very  elect.  All  their  false  doctrine  is  wrapped 
up  in  Scripture  language,  and  pretended  to  be  derived  with  great 
reverence  from  the  word  of  God  :  in  these  countries  Satan  is  trans- 
formed into  an  angel  of  light,  and  they  pretend  to  hate  and  abjure 
the  beast,  while  all  their  churches  are  harlots,  painted  up  in  their 
own  works  and  admiring  their  own  garments,  and  all  seated  upon 
the  same  foundation,  viz.  man  and  his  piety  and  his  good-doing. 
They  answer  to  Judah  ;  while  the  more  gross  idolaters  of  the  Roman 
and  Greek  churches  answer  to  Israel  or  Samaria.  Now,  though 
Judah  had  a  great  zeal  against  external  idolatry,  while  Israel  openly 
set  up  a  false  worship,  yet  it  was  by  Judah,  with  all  its  apparent 
purity,  that  our  Lord  was  crucified. 

Therefore  God,  the  only  wise  God  has  given,  once  for  all,  the 
history  of  the  more  gross  and  not  to  be  mistaken  abominations, 


INTRODUCTION.  85 

under  the  revelation  of  the  first  beast,  which  arose  first  an  undis- 
guised beast ;  and  he  has  more  fully  opened  and  exposed  the  deeper, 
darker,  more  spiritual  and  more  deceivable  refinements  of  that  beast 
which  kept  rising  after  the  first,  in  a  new  form,  disguised  and  looking 
"  like  a  lambJ'''  This  is  the  beast  which  ascendeth  out  of  the  bot- 
tomless pit  of  the  earth,  out  of  the  depths  of  the  profound  whoredoms 
of  earthly  religious  men  ;  this  is  the  beast  which  is  exalted  as  the 
doer  of  good,  in  the  place  of  the  Holy  One  ;  this  is  the  son  of 
perdition  ;  the  whole  body  and  collection  of  whose  worshippers  is 
called  spiritually  a  city,  even  Sodom  and  Egypt,  and  this  beast  is 
the  Protestant  earth  and  body  of  earthly  worshippers,  who  call  them- 
selves the  pious  the  godly  and  the  evangelical. 

Here  are  two  nations  of  the  world,  the  Catholics  and  the  Protest- 
ants, whom  God  has  taken  and  chosen  out  of  all  the  people  of  the 
world,  to  whom  alone  of  all  the  nations  he  has  given  his  word  of 
truth,  and  both  of  them  have  utterly  perverted,  despised,  set  at 
naught  and  trampled  upon  his  truth  !  The  first  and  by  far  the  largest 
number  have  done  this  at  an  early  period,  openly  and  boldly  ;  but 
the  last,  the  Protestant  professors,  have  done  the  same  gradually, 
deceitfully,  and  with  hypocritical  falsehood,  pretending  to  love  Him 
and  to  be  obedient  to  all  his  word  !  Both  of  them  have  surpassed  all 
other  nations  in  evil  doing,  in  hatred  and  covetousness,  so  that  the 
name  in  which  they  glory,  viz.  Christian,  has  come  to  signify  a  de- 
ceiver and  a  wicked  man  among  the  other  nations.  The  first  and 
largest  of  these  two  great  divisions  answers  to  Israel  or  Samaria, 
the  smallest  who  have  had  the  temple  of  God,  even  his  elect  among 
them,  answers  to  Judah  and  Benjamin.  The  same  course  which 
those  vineyards  of  God  in  former  times  pursued,  has  been  acted  over 
again  in  these  last  times,  by  those  to  whom  alone  above  all  other 
nations  God  hath  given  the  knowledge  of  his  truth  ;  showing  plainly, 
even  by  facts,  that  the  wickedness  of  man  is  the  same  in  all  ages  ; 
that  there  is  no  hope  at  all  in  man, — no,  not  even  when  he  is  greatly 
blessed  above  all  other  men,  not  even  when  he  has  all  truth  and 
knowledge  delivered  to  him ;  showing  plainly,  that  with  every 
promise  and  inducement  and  teaching,  men  will  not  depart  from  evil 
and  learn  to  do  good ;  showing  that  if  the  world  went  on  for  endless 
ages  yet  it  would  only  be  the  same  scene  of  villany  and  hypocrisy, 
acted  over  and  over  again  :  also  showing  by  woful  and  long  expe- 
rience, that  since  there  is  no  hope  in  man,  if  God  himself  had  not, 
of  his  own  mercy  and  pleasure,  reserved  a  remnant,  no  flesh  should 
be  saved  ! 

Let  not  these  two  nations  of  men  expect  to  escape  because  God 
has  suffered  their  wickedness  so  long ;  for  they  see  before  their  eyes 
at  this  very  day,  a  former  people  who  also  like  them  possessed  the 
knowledge  of  his  truth  and  yet  loved  unrighteousness,  who,  like  them, 
neither  did  righteousness  themselves,  and  would  not  receive  the 
righteousness  of  God, — they  see  them  now,  monuments  of  his  right- 
eous vengennce,  scattered  over  the  face  of  the  earth  and  proclaiming 


eo  INTRODUCTION. 

to  all  men,  that  they  who,  being  taught  of  God,  do  refuse  instruction 
and  turn  not  to  Him,  but  do  unrighteousness,  they  shall  not  by  any 
means  go  unpunished.  He  who  has  scattered  Israel  will  gather 
them  again,  for  they  will  repent  and  turn  to  God,  God  will  turn 
them  and  give  them  repentance ;  and  the  Gentiles,  who  have  done 
worse  than  Israel,  will  be  cast  off  and  punished  more  terribly  than 
they  have  been. 


THE 


REVELATION  OF   JESUS   CHRIST. 


The  Book  of  the  Revelations  contains  a  clear  history  of  the  false- 
hood and  abomination  which  should  prevail  in  the  Christian  world, 
and  which  should  pass  under  the  name  of  the  "  Christian  Religion," 
while  it  was  all  the  time  opposed  to  the  truth  of  Christ  and  to  his 
doctrine.  The  history  of  the  Church  of  Christ  is  revealed,  from  the 
day  of  Pentecost  down  to  the  end  of  all  things ;  and  it  is  revealed 
how,  after  the  first  700  years  of  the  Christian  era,  falsehood  and 
abomination  should  prevail  over  the  truth,  and  the  church  of  Christ, 
the  elect  of  God,  should  be  trampled  under  foot,  and  not  be  recognised 
nor  known  in  the  world,  until  the  time  allotted  for  the  prevalence  of 
false  churches  (which  time  is  1260  years)  should  be  no  more.  In 
all  this  time  the  history  of  God's  church  is  distinctly  given  and  pre- 
served, in  the  midst  of  the  falsehood  and  abomination  by  which  the 
truth  should  be  overcome  and  trampled  to  the  ground :  and  that 
falsehood  and  abomination  is  most  clearly  revealed,  and  also  the 
various  names  and  shapes  it  should  assume. 

The  kingdom  of  Christ  is  not  of  this  world,  and  the  history  of 
God's  church  and  people  is  not  to  be  found  or  traced  in  any  ecclesi- 
astical history,  or  records  of  the  various  sects.  No  church  or  sect 
or  religious  corporation  that  has  ever  existed  in  all  this  time,  has 
been  a  church  of  God  ;  his  people  have  been  scattered  among  all  the 
tribes  and  kindreds  of  the  earth,  that  is,  among  all  the  sects  of  the 
religious  world.  Thus  the  heavenly  Jerusalem,  the  holy  city  of 
God's  elect,  has  been  trodden  under  foot  by  the  Gentiles,  and  the 
truth  of  God,  when  preached,  has  only  been  preached  as  it  were  in 
sackcloth,  during  all  this  time  of  1260  years. 

Mournful  and  desolate  as  the  condition  of  Zion  has  been  all  this 
time,  (for  the  abomination  of  false  doctrine  and  human  righteousness, 
that  swine's  flesh  offering,  has  made  altogether  desolate,)  yet  God, 
the  only  wise  God  has,  by  this  very  means,  (by  this  long  remaining 
of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem  in  the  wilderness,  that  is,  in  desolation,) 
preserved  the  world  from  being  destroyed,  and  at  the  same  time  has 
preserved  his  truth  in  the  world,  by  which  many  (a  multitude  that 
no  man  can  number)  have  been  saved.  For,  so  soon  as  the  elect  of 
God  shall  be  manifest  in  the  world,  and  the  power  and  glory  and 
beauty  of  Christ  shall  be  manifest  in  them,  they  will  be  hated  by  all 
men  ;  brother  and  sister  and  children  and  parents  will  rise  up  against 


88  THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

them  and  deliver  some  of  them  to  death ;  there  will  be  a  general 
confederacy  and  alliance  against  them,  in  order  utterly  to  destroy 
them  from  the  face  of  the  earth  ;  and  then  will  Christ  appear  in  the 
clouds  of  heaven,  to  deliver  them  and  destroy  his  enemies.  This 
malicious  warfare  and  this  great  destruction  and  terrible  vengeance, 
would  have  taken  place  before  the  appointed  time,  and  before  all 
God's  people  had  been  gathered  in,  if  God  had  not  hidden  his  truth 
in  the  wilderness,  and  if  the  church  of  Christ  had  been  manifest 
before  the  time  which  was  appointed  to  be  fulfilled. 

CHAPTER  I. 

V.  4.  "  John  to  the  seven  churches  which  are  in  Asia^  Asia 
Minor  signifies  the  whole  Christian  earth,  or  Christendom  ;  the  elect 
of  God  have  been  cities  in  the  midst  of  this  earth  ;  the  rivers  of 
Asia  Minor  signify  Christian  nations.  Asia  here  spoken  of,  is  a  very 
small  part  of  the  whole  globe,  and  so  also  Christendom,  or  the 
Christian  part  of  the  earth,  has  been  and  is  but  a  very  small  portion 
of  the  whole  population  of  the  world.  This  chapter  is  introductory 
to  a  general  history  or  view  of  the  elect  people  of  God  which  is 
revealed  in  the  two  following  chapters.  The  seven  churches  in  Asia, 
are  the  elect  people  of  God  in  the  midst  of  the  Christian  or  profess- 
ing world,  (called  Asia,  or  the  earth,)  from  the  first  preaching  of  the 
Gospel  down  to  the  present  day.* 

THE  GENERAL  HISTORY.     CHAPTERS  H.  HI. 

The  second  and  third  chapters  contain  a  brief  summary  of  the 
general  history  of  God's  people,  at  seven  different  periods  at  which 
they  lived.  This  general  summary  is  first  given,  previous  to  a  more 
full  and  more  particular  revelation  of  events  happening  to  each,  which 
are  afterwards  revealed  in  succeeding  chapters. 

V.  1st  to  7th.  The  first  believers  are  called  the  Church  at  Ephe- 
sus;  even  at  this  early  period  the  church  of  God  had  enemies  and 
false  adherents  in  and  around  them,  so  that  the  tares  choked  the 
wheat.     John  lived  in  this  church  when  he  wrote  this  Revelation. 

V.  8th.  The  second  church  is  Smyrna  :  at  this  period  of  the 
Christian  era,  the  ten  distinct  persecutions,  events  well  known,  took 
place  :  they  are  here  called  "  tribulation,  ten  days  ;"  but  in  the  midst 
of  poverty  and  persecution,  God's  people  were  faithful  unto  death. 

V.  12th.  The  third  church  is  Pergamos :  this  being  a  city  more 
in  the  heart  of  Asia  than  either  Ephesus  or  Smyrna,  (which  are 
only  on  the  edge,)  shows  that  the  profession  of  Christianity  had 
advanced  more  in  the  world  and  spread  to  a  greater  extent ;  the  two 
first  churches  having  been  only  on  the  outskirts,  as  it  were,  of  the 
population  of  the  world  ;  (for  these  two  cities  are  on  the  seaboard, 

*  That  enrlhly  men,  earthly  minded  professors  of  earthly  relig-ion  arc  called 
the  "  Earth,"  need  surprise  no  one  ;  for  even  men  themselves  call  those  who  are 
worldly  and  worldly  minded  the  "  World." 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  89 

or  margin  of  Asia,  that  is,  Christendom.)  An  increased  corruption 
is  shown  to  have  arisen  around  the  church  of  God  :  now  at  this 
period  there  are  preachers  who  make  a  living  and  get  money  by 
preaching,  and  who  preach  for  hire  and  honour  ;  this  is  the  doctrine 
of  Balaam. 

V.  18.  The  fourth  Church  is  Thyatyra :  in  this  age  the  esta- 
blishment of  an  earthly  hierarchy  begins,  and  that  whoredom  begins 
which  consists  in  thinking  to  please  God  by  human  deeds,  by  doing 
something :  this  is  that  Religion  which  is  called  the  Harlot  or  the 
Whore.  But  it  is  begun  gradually  and  seducingly,  Jezebel  the 
whore  of  Rome  now  first  shows  herself,  seducing  to  commit  forni- 
cation ;  that  is,  to  think  to  obtain  a  union  with  Christ  by  giving 
something  :  this  is  fornication  ;  and  to  think  to  entice  or  attract 
God's  favour  by  the  robe  of  human  works  is  whoredom.*  This 
way  of  Jezebel  had  been  prepared  by  the  false  preachers  of  the 
church  preceding,  who  had  begun  to  teach  fornication,  that  is,  to 
teach  that  a  union  with  Christ  was  to  be  obtained  by  purchase,  by 
the  money  of  praying,  &;c. 

The  Falling  away  now  takes  place :  (that  is,  falling  from  Grace, 
which  is  heaven,  all  the  people  of  God  became  earthly,  they  fell 
from  heaven  :  which  falling  away  consists  in  being  justified  by  the 
law,  getting  righteousness  by  our  doing  good.  Gal.  v.  4.)  The 
church  of  the  Beast  rises  up  in  this  age,  which  rise  of  the  Beast  is 
afterwards  particularly  described  in  a  separate  chapter.  Thyatyra, 
lying  almost  in  the  centre  of  Asia  Minor,  shows  that  Christianity 

*  When  men  preach,  saying',  that  if  you  do  something,  if  you  pray,  read  the 
Bible,  go  to  Church,  &c.  &c.  then  you  shall  be  saved,  you  will  be  a  Christian  and 
have  the  salvation  of  Christ,  they  are  fornicators;  these  conditions  are  a  money 
which  men  think  to  pay  to  be  united  with  Christ,  for  that  union  is  our  salvation  J 
for  this  is  fornication  and  it  is  most  abominable.  Christ  takes  his  people,  whom 
he  will,  into  union  with  himself  "  without  money  and  without  price,"  for  nothing. 
The  purchase  is  on  his  side  ;  he  has  purchased  them  for  himself,  as  his  bride. 

When  men  preach  that  if  you  are  very  pious  and  religious,  if  you  do  many  good 
works,  if  you  labour  to  be  righteous  and  not  commit  sin,  then  you  will  please  God, 
then  he  will  love  you,  they  are  whoremongers,  this  is  whoreixim  :  for  it  is  imagin- 
ing to  obtain  God's  love  and  favour  by  putting  on  decorations  and  garments  by 
which  to  please  him.  God  is  only  pleased  in  Christ  Jesus,  the  Lamb  of  God ;  his 
offering,  his  work,  his  daily  sacrifice  is  alone  acceptable  and  well  pleasing  to  God, 
All  other  works  and  Righteousness  but  his,  are  abomination  and  abominable. 

When  men  preach  that  you  are  under  the  law,  and  united  with  Christ  at  the 
same  time,  bound  to  do  good  by  the  law,  and  yet  being  perfectly  good  and  right- 
eous in  Christ,  this  is  Adultery :  for  it  is  being  married  to  Christ  while  the  first 
husband  is  yet  living,  in  full  authority  over  you.  It  is  abominable  adultery  to  think 
of  bringing  forth  fruit  to  God  by  the  law,  and  of  bringing  forth  fruit  by  Jesus 
Christ  at  the  same  time  1     This  is  Adultery. 

In  the  early  ages  of  Christianity  Satan  did  not  think  of  seducing  men  out  of  the 
right  way  by  adultery,  because  the  truth  was  too  well  established  that  Christ  alone 
was  the  Saviour,  and  that  the  Law  was  not  a  helpmate  in  this  salvation  :  accord- 
ingly he  began  his  seductions  by  teaching  fornication,  pretending  tliat  God  was  so 
very  good  and  gracious  tiiat  men  had  only  to  offer  him  a  little  bribe,  and  then  if 
they  would  only  give  even  but  a  little  trifle,  they  would  be  saved  by  Jesus  Christ. 
The  guilt  and  abomination  of  Adultery  was  reserved  for  this  last  and  adulterous 
generation.  And  inasmuch  as  an  adulteress  is  worse  than  a  harlot,  so  the  protest- 
ant  churches  are  worse  than  the  harlot  of  Rome. 
12 


90  THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

had  spread  into  the  midst  of  the  earth  which  it  should  occupy :  and 
it  being  a  city  famous  for  the  manufacture  of  purple  dye,  it  is  with 
the  more  force  and  justice  applied  to  represent  the  age  when  the 
purple  diadem  of  Rome  was  first  set  up.  This  period  brings  us 
down  to  the  first  seven  hundred  years  of  the  Christian  era,  to  the 
week  of  centuries  spoken  of  by  Daniel  the  Prophet,  in  the  midst  of 
which  week  the  abomination  of  false  doctrine  was  set  up,  and  the 
daily,  constant  work  and  sacrifice  of  Christ,  his  pure  and  unceasing 
offering  and  oblation  of  his  own  religious  work,  ceased  to  be  offered, 
and  instead  thereof  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  the  offering  of  human 
deeds  and  human  righteousness,  was  set  up.  This  falling  from  Grace, 
which  is  a  falling  from  heaven,  which  now  began,  has  continued  in 
Christendom,  or  the  earth,  ever  since,  for  it  should  continue  1260 
years,  as  was  revealed  by  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  his  prophets 
and  Apostles  before  ever  it  began.  During  this  whole  week  God 
confirmed  his  Everlasting  Covenant  of  the  Gospel  with  many,  even 
with  multitudes  who  were  his  people,  his  hidden  ones  ;  and  therefore, 
notwithstanding  the  gradually  rising  and  constantly  increasing  power 
and  glory  of  the  false  church  around  them,  yet  the  people  of  God 
enjoyed,  for  700  years,  the  full  light  and  glory  of  the  Gospel  Cove- 
nant, and  were  full  of  might  by  the  Power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  though 
not  recognised  in  the  world,  nor  to  be  heard  of  in  the  religious 
annals  and  ecclesiastical  chronicles  of  those  or  any  days.  Such  a 
glory  and  power  and  blessing  and  full  assurance  of  understanding, 
and  out-pouring  of  God's  spirit,  never,  since  this  700  years,  till  now, 
have  the  elect  of  God  enjoyed,  or  even  suspected  it  was  to  be  en- 
joyed.* 

Chap.  3,  V.  1.  The  next  age  of  Christianity  described  by  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  is  the  Church  of  Sardis.  This  consists  of  God's 
elect  people  scattered  up  and  down  in  the  Church  of  Rome,  and 
overcome  by  the  Beast ;  it  carries  us  as  far  as  the  period  of  what  is 
called  the  Reformation,  when  they  "  had  a  name  that  they  lived,'^ 
which  name  and  renown  they  have  to  this  day. 

V.  7.  The  next  period  is  the  Church  in  Philadelphia  :  this  com- 
prehends that  time  which  succeeded  some  time  after  the  schism  or 
separation  from  the  Church  of  Rome,  when  the  truth  of  God  was 

*  The  Prophet  Daniel  has  brought  down  liis  prophecy,  from  his  own  day  exactly 
to  this  very  period,  in  the  four  last  verses  of  iiis  ninth  chapter. 

In  the  25lh  verse  tlie  Prophet  foretells  the  time  which  would  elapse  from  the 
second  buildingf  of  the  Temple  to  the  coming  of  Christ,  viz.  483  years,  or  6!)  weeks, 
a  day  designating  a  year. 

In  the  26th  verse,  he  foretells  the  death  and  suffering  of  Christ  for  his  people,  and 
the  destruction  of  the  Temple  and  the  ruin  of  the  Jewish  nation  by  the  Roman- 
Prince  Titus,  which  followed  shortly  after  the  death  of  Christ,  when  there  was  in- 
deed a  flood  of  horror  and  desolation  to  the  end  of  the  war. 

In  the  27th  verse  he  foretells  the  events  of  the  first  700  years  (or  week  of  centu- 
ries) of  the  Ciiristian  era  ;  viz.  that  God  would  confirm  his  covenant  in  Christ  for 
this  period,  but  that  in  the  midst  of  this  700  years  the  Abomination  and  corruption 
of  falsehood  should  be  set  up,  and  that  this  would  make  desolate  (as  it  has  done) : 
but  a  consummation,  an  end  of  this  long  time  of  desolation  is  determined,  which 
now  is  nigh  at  hand.  Thus  Daniel  in  these  verses  brings  down  the  prophecy  to 
the  church  of  Thyatyra,  when  the  Abomination  was  set  up. 


THE  REVELAflON  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  91 

known  and  possessed  by  God's  people,  especially  in  England,  to  an 
extent  which  the  first  reformers  had  not  known.  But  greatly  as 
the  people  of  God  at  this  period  were  blessed,  yet  even  they  also 
were  overcome  by  the  Beast,  lor  his  time  was  not  yet  ended  : 
though  they  were  out  of  the  Church  of  Rome,  yet  another  Beast, 
different  from  the  Romish  Church,  and  more  like  a  lamb  than  it, 
with  a  very  numerous  name,  had  now  begun  to  arise  out  of  the  Earth, 
as  is  particularly  described  in  a  subsequent  chapter.  The  people  of 
God  were  overcome  and  mixed  up  with  the  Beast  which  arose  out 
of  the  Earth,  or  persecuted  and  slain  when  they  attempted  to  escape 
from  its  bonds ;  for  "  it.  exercised  all  the  power  of  the  first  beast.'''' 
In  the  reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth  it  was  given  to  the  harlot,  or  church 
of  England,  to  overcome  the  saints  of  God,  so  that  many  were  sin- 
cerely joined  to  it,  and  many  were  slain  or  imprisoned  who  attempted 
to  escape  from  it. 

But  at  this  period,  notwithstanding  the  power  of  the  Beast,  God's 
two  witnesses,  the  Law  and  the  Gospel,  had  not  finished  their  testi- 
mony, they  still  prophesied,  though  in  sackcloth  ;  the  Beast  which 
now  was  rising  had  not  yet  overcome  and  slain  them  as  it  should  do, 
and  has  now  done  in  this  day ;  the  elect  of  God,  this  Church  at 
Philadelphia,  held  fast  to  the  truth,  they  had  "  a  little  strength,''^ 
(v.  8.)  This  is  the  brightest  period  that  occurs  since  the  falling 
away  in  the  week  of  seven  hundred  years.  The  people  of  God  did 
not  deny  the  name  of  Christ,  "  The  Lord  our  Righteousness," 
for  that  is  his  name  !  They  held  fast  to  this  glorious  name  and  kept 
his  word.  Therefore  it  is  promised  to  this  Church  (v.  10)  that  they 
should  be  kept  from  the  hour  of  temptation  which  is  about  to  come 
upon  all  the  world  to  try  them  that  dwell  upon  the  Earth  ;  thus 
showing  that  a  time  of  trial  or  temptation  was  coming  upon  the 
Earth  (that  is,  the  professors  of  religion)  to  try  them.  Which 
accordingly  did  come  after  this  period,  as  is  fully  and  particularly 
related  in  succeeding  chapters  of  this  wonderful  Revelation.  To  this 
church  Christ  first  says,  what  he  said  to  none  of  the  former  churches, 
"  Behold  I  come  quickly,''''  showing  that  the  next  and  last  period  is 
close  to  the  time  of  his  glorious  coming. 

V.  14.  This  next  and  last  period  in  the  histor}'^  of  the  churches, 
is  the  Church  in  Laodicea :  It  consists  of  all  the  elect  of  God  in  this 
day,  and  since  the  hour  of  temptation  which  has  tried  the  Earth. 
Notwithstanding  the  abominable  heresies  and  falsehoods  which  have 
overspread  the  Earth,  (the  religious  wor'd  and  all  the  various  sects,) 
notwithstanding  the  gross  delusions  and  lies  which  the  Earth  has 
swallowed  up  greedily,  and  which  Satan  has  poured  out  of  his  mouth 
like  a  flood,  they  have  not  swallowed  them,  nor  have  they  belonged 
to  the  Confederacies  and  good-doing  Societies  of  the  Earth  ;  they 
have  believed  in  the  name  of  the  Son  of  God,  "  The  Lord  oitr 
Righteousness,"  and  in  his  Righteousness  and  his  only  ;  they  have 
trusted  in  God's  Everlasting  Love,  and  joyed  solely  in  his  Election 
of  Grace  ;  this  has  been  their  constant  theme  and  constant  joy,  and 
the  Earth  has  been  tormented  with  their  doctrine,  despising  them 
and    callinor    iheni    Antinomians   and    licentious    in   their    doctrine. 


92  THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CURIST. 

Though  there  have  been  wicked  men  who  have  taken  up  these  doc- 
trines, and  the  covetous  and  idolaters  have  been  joined  with  them, 
yet  among  them  have  been  the  Elect  of  God  ;  these  outcast  people 
are  the  Church  of  Laodicea.  Their  doctrine  has  been  an  utter 
horror  and  abomination  to  the  religious  world,  the  children  of  the 
bondman.*  But  though  despised  and  reviled  by  the  Earth,  and 
abhorred  by  the  pious  and  evangelical  adulterers,  that  is,  who  being 
married  to  the  Law,  pretended  to  be  united  to  Christ,  yet  they  have 
not  despised  nor  thought  lightly  of  themselves.  Seeing  more  clearly 
the  truth  of  their  own  doctrine,  from  the  manifest  falsehood  and 
fleshliness  of  the  Religion  of  the  earthly  men,  they  have  been  puffed 
up  and  have  triumphed  vaingloriousl5^  To  perceive  and  to  cry  out 
against  falsehood  and  lying  doctrines,  has  been  to  them  instead  of  all 
truth ;  they  have  been  puffed  up  with  knowledge,  and  said  they  were 
rich  and  increased  in  goods,  (v.  17.)  Boasting  and  vain  glory  has 
been  their  characteristic,  joined  also  with  such  a  life  as  has  made 
the  enemy  triumph.  They  have  had  no  strength,  but  been  overcome 
by  the  devil,  and  been  given  over  to  do  unrighteousness  ;  thus  have 
they  been  spued  out  of  his  mouth  by  the  Lord  whom  they  have  so 
greatly  dishonoured  by  their  pride  and  self-conceit  and  folly. 

Laodicea  is  the  most  remote  and  most  inland  city  of  the  seven 
cities  of  Asia,  showing  that  this  city  of  the  living  God  (for  verily 
they  only  have  been  the  people  of  God  in  these  last  days)  is  the  last 
and  most  remote  of  the  seven  churches  or  cities  of  God's  elect  people, 
which  have  been  successively  in  the  midst  of  the  earth  of  professors, 
in  the  different  ages  of  the  Christian  era.  None  of  these  seven 
cities  or  churches  of  God's  people  have  been  visible  and  separate, 
and  been  cities  set  upon  a  hill,  glorifying  God  and  unmixed  with 
human  religion,  except  the  three  first,  Ephesus,  Smyrna  and  Perga- 
mos.  To  the  churches  which  come  after  these  three,  "  what  they 
have,"  or,  "  the  things  which  remain,''''  are  spoken  of;  showing  that 
what  now  they  possessed  and  knew,  was  only  as  it  were  a  remnant 
or  a  part :  "  things  which  remain,"  are  not  spoken  of  to  the  three 
first  churches,  for  they  had  an  unction  from  the  Holy  One,  and  knew 
all  things.  False  and  harlot  churches  have,  since  the  first  three, 
passed  among  men  for  Christian  churches,  and  falsehood  and  lies  for 
the  "  Christian  Religion,"  and  heathen,  wicked  people  have  passed 
for  Christians  before  the  world,  while  the  elect  of  God,  the  city  of 
God,  his  Jerusalem,  has  been  trodden  under  foot,  and  been  cast  out 
and  hated  and  persecuted  in  the  sight  of  the  harlot  churches  of  the 
Earth  ,-  for  a  fixed  time,  (namely,  1260  years,)  power  has  been  given 
to  the  Beast,  and  this  imposition  of  the  devil,  of  his  servants  for 
servants  of  God,  of  his  doctrines  for  doctrines  of  God,  and  of  his 
churches  for  churches  of  God,  has  been  suffered  and  permitted,  and 
power  has  been  given  to  them  to  overcome  the  saints.  But  this 
time  shall  now  be  no  longer,  saith  the  Lord  who  liveth  for  ever  ! 

*  All  the  other  churches  are  spoken  of  as  a  city,  but  this  as  a  people,  "  the  La- 
odiceans,"  showing  their  miserable  situation,  like  a  city  or  collection  of  people 
without  walls;  it  is  a  vineyard,  the  wails  or  hedges  of  which  are  broken  down  and 
burnt  up. 


THE  KEVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  93 

CHAPTERS  IV.,  V. 

Aftei-  this  general  summary  of  the  churches  and  their  condition, 
John  has  a  view  of  heaven  opened,  and  the  book  of  the  revelation  ot 
events  which  should  come  to  pass  in  the  world  can  only  be  opened 
by  Christ  Jesus  the  Lamb  of  God  ;  none  other  is  able  to  make  this 
wonderful  Revelation,  but  God  in  Christ,  and  none  can  open  it  but 
him  :  therefore  this  book  is  called  the  Revelation  of  Jesus  Christ. 
It  differs  in  an  extraordinary  manner  from  all  former  prophesy,  be- 
cause (as  will  be  seen  by  all  those  to  whom  God  shall  give  under- 
standing) it  contains  a  continued,  uninterrupted  and  connected  history 
of  all  the  great  and  principal  events  which  relate  to  God's  people, 
from  the  very  first  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  on  the  day  of  Pentecost, 
to  the  end  of  all  things.  It  is  not  a  prophesy  of  one  event  only,  but 
it  is  a  complete  Book  of  Revelation,  a  relation  of  future  events  given 
ages  before  the  time,  and  relating  them  in  the  very  order  in  which 
they  came  to  pass. 

When  the  Lamb  took  the  book,  the  whole  company  in  heaven  fell 
down  and  worshipped  him,  ascribing  to  Him  glory  and  honour  and 
power,  (ch.  v.  8.)  That  which  excited  admiration  in  heaven  itself, 
is  well  worthy  our  praise  and  admiration  and  worship,  here  on  earth. 
Let  us  therefore  ascribe  all  glory  to  Jesus  the  Christ,  the  Lamb  ot 
God,  as  we  read  and  understand.  A  peculiar  blessing  is  pronounced 
upon  those  who  hear  and  keep  the  words  of  this  prophecy  ;  for  many 
will  not  hear,  but  will  reject  them  to  their  own  everlasting  confu- 
sion. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

V.  1,  2.  And  I  saw  when  the  Lamb  opened  one  of  the  seals;  and  I  heard,  as  it 
were  the  noise  of  thunder,  one  of  the  four  beasts  saying.  Come  and  see.  And  I 
saw,  and  behold  a  white  horse;  and  he  that  sat  on  him  had  a  bow;  and  a  crown 
was  given  unto  Iiim :  and  he  went  forth  conquering  and  to  conquer. 

Here  is  shown  the  first  beginning  of  the  Gospel,  which  began  to 
be  published  on  the  day  of  Pentecost.  As  warriors  went  to  battle 
on  horses,  so  also  a  horse  is  used  in  Scripture  to  signify  the  energy 
and  going  forth  of  the  spiritual  soldier.  Here  it  is  a  white  horse, 
signifying  it  was  the  pure  unsullied  Gospel  which  now  was  sent  forth ; 
it  was  to  conquer,  as  also  it  did.  The  first  age  of  Christianity  is 
here  described,  and  the  progress  and  success  of  the  simple  Gospel, 
in  the  time  of  the  Church  in  Ephesus. 

V.  3,  4.  And  when  he  had  opened  the  second  seal,  I  heard  the  second  beast  say, 
Come  and  see.  And  there  went  out  another  horse  that  was  red  ;  and  power  was 
given  to  him  that  sat  thereon  to  take  peace  from  the  earth,  and  that  they  should 
kill  one  another :  and  there  was  given  unto  him  a  great  sword. 

This  is  the  second  age  of  the  Christian  era,  corresponding  with 
the  Church  of  Smyrna.  Under  the  figure  of  a  red  horse  is  repre- 
sented the  bloody  persecutions  which  the  followers  of  the  Gospel 
now  suffered  at  various  times  and  from  different  princes  ;  they  are 
called  the  ten  persecutions  ;  it  is  the  tribulation  of  ten  days,  revealed 
to  the  Church  of  Smyrna  in  the  second  chapter. 


94  THE  REVELATION  OP  JESUS  CHRIST. 

V.  5,  6.  And  when  he  had  opened  the  third  seal,  I  Iieard  the  third  beast  say, 
Come  and  see.  And  I  beheld,  and  lo,  a  black  horse ;  and  he  that  sat  on  him  had  a 
pair  of  balances  in  his  hand.  And  I  heard  a  voice  in  the  midst  of  the  four  beasts  say, 
A  measure  of  wheat  for  a  penny,  and  three  measures  of  barley  for  a  penny  ;  and 
see  thou  hurt  not  the  oil  and  the  wine. 

This  is  the  third  period,  corresponding  with  the  Church  in  Perga- 
mos.  Here  is  represented  under  the  figure  of  a  black  horse,  the  first 
successful  beginning  of  the  preaching  of  darkness  and  false  doctrine. 
The  pair  of  balances,  show  what  that  false  doctrine  consisted  in,  viz. 
selling,  weighing  out  as  it  were  by  scales  in  the  balance  the  Gift  of 
God,  which  gift  is  eternal  life  in  Jesus  Christ.  Now  first  began  to 
prevail  that  false,  lying  and  abominable  preaching  which  says,  (though 
with  much  plausible  disguise  and  stoutly  denying  that  it  means  what 
it  says,)  "  you  must  first  do  this  or  that,  (pray,  seek,  read  the  Bible, 
go  to  church,  &;c.)  and  then,  if  you  do  this  you  shall  be  saved  !" 
Thus  saying,  if  a  man  gives  something  then  God  will  give  something : 
this  is  selling  and  buying.  Thus  they  make  the  blessed  Gospel  of 
God  a  matter  of  bargain  and  purchase.  These  are  "  the  balances  of 
deceit,'"'  spoken  of  in  other  places  of  the  Scripture.  This  is  the 
doctrine  of  Balaam,  which  in  the  former  chapter  the  Church  of 
Pergamos  was  said  to  be  infected  with.  Such  preachers  put  this 
stumbling  block  of  fornication  before  the  children  of  God  as  Balaam 
did  to  the  people  when  they  were  just  on  the  threshold  of  the  pro- 
mised country,  and  thereby  destroy  they  many  souls  who  are  seduced 
and  destroyed  and  never  enter  in.  It  is  appropriately  called  fornication, 
for  fornication  is  obtaining  that  by  money  and  purchase  which  ought 
only  to  be  got  by  lawful  marriage  ;  this  is  fornication  ;  union  by 
purchase  and  giving  gifts,  and  not  by  marriage.  So  they  teach  that 
we  must  first  give  something  (however  little  it  be)  in  order  to  enter 
into  union  with  Christ ! 

"  A  measure  of  wheat  for  a  penny,  and  three  measures  cf  barley 
for  a  pe7iny."  By  wheat  and  barley  are  signified  the  blessings  of 
the  Gospel,  both  great  and  small,  which  constitute  that  blessed  spi- 
ritual bread  which  feeds  the  hungry.  By  a  penny  is  signified  the 
paltry  little  doings  of  man,  which  it  was  preached  must  be  paid  or 
done  in  order  to  get  (that  is,  to  buy)  the  bread  and  life  of  the  Gospel. 
It  was  now,  in  this  age,  that  gospel  life  was  preached  as  being 
conditional,  though  to  disguise  the  atrocious  wickedness  of  such  a 
fornicating  bargain,  the  condition,  the  purchase,  was  made  very  little 
and  trifling,  viz.  only  a  penny  /  As  if  God,  who  would  not  sell  his 
exceeding  rich  Grace  and  goodness  for  a  great  deal, — as  if  he  would 
sell  it  for  a  very  little  ! 

But,  though  the  mystery  of  iniquity  was  already  working,  God 
hindered  (or  let)  and  the  truth  of  Christ  was  yet  manifest  in  the  world, 
there  was  yet  oil  and  wine,  that  is,  the  elect  of  God  still  possessed 
the  full  atjointing  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  the  pure  wine  of  the 
Gospel  unmixed  with  water  ;  these  were  not  to  be  hurt  by  the  false 
teachers  of  earthly  doctrines,  for  lie,  even  Christ,  hindered,  until 
power  was  given  to  the  Beast,  and  he  that  is  Christ  was  taken  out 
of  the  way  to  wait  at  God's  right  hand  until  the  time  should  come 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  95 

when  he  would  again  take  to  himself  his  great  power.     (2  Thess. 
ii.  7.) 

V.  7,  8.  And  when  he  had  opened  the  fourth  seal,  I  heard  the  voice  of  the  fourth 
beast  say,  Come  and  see.  And  I  looked,  and  behold  a  pale  horse;  and  his  name 
that  sat  on  him  was  Death,  and  hell  followed  with  him  :  and  power  was  given  unto 
them  over  the  fourth  part  of  the  earth,  to  kill  with  sword,  and  with  hunger,  and 
with  death,  and  with  the  beasts  of  the  earth. 

Here  now  arrive  in  this  next  period,  (which  corresponds  with  the 
Church  in  Thyatira,)  the  fatal  and  dreadful  effects  of  the  falsehood 
begun  to  be  preached  in  the  preceding  period.  Now  instead  of  the 
Gospel,  which  is  life,  there  is  Death.  Instead  of  the  preaching  of 
the  complete  remission  of  sins,  and  deliverance  from  the  law  and 
from  condemnation,  there  is  the  preaching  of  death.  Hell,  that  is, 
condemnation  and  torment  and  suffering  and  fear,  follows  this  preach- 
ing. The  preaching  of  death  is  the  preaching  of  the  Law,  for  the 
Law  slays  us  and  we  die.  (Rs.  vii.  9.)  The  horse  is  said  to  be 
pale  from  the  paleness  of  countenance  and  woe  and  misery  of  those 
who  are  sincerely  labouring  under  the  law.  The  horse  signifies  the 
preaching  which  now  went  forth  ;  and  him  that  it  carries  signifies 
what  was  preached,  and  his  name  was  Death  ;  that  is,  it  was  no 
longer  the  name  of  the  Son  of  God,  (The  Lord  our  Righteousness,) 
which  was  preached,  but  it  was  Death  ;  man's  righteousness,  man's 
obedience  to  the  Law.  Hell  followed  with  ;  that  is,  condemnation 
and  darkness  and  torment  and  sin  accompany  such  a  ministration, 
which  is  also  called  by  the  Apostle  the  "  ministration  of  deaths  It 
was  now  that  the  Beast  arose  from  the  sea,  (as  is  related  afterwards 
in  a  separate  chapter.)  Now  the  hierarchy  of  earthly  religion  began, 
and  the  harlot  church,  Jezebel,  spread  forth  her  seductions:  justly 
and  appropriately  called  a  harlot,  which  every  church  and  every 
preaching  or  religion  is  where  the  Righteousness  of  God  alone  is 
not  alone  taught  and  set  forth.  Because  to  imagine  to  please  God 
by  any  other  Righteousness  than  that  alone  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  to 
put  on  other  robes  than  those  of  his  righteousness,  is  to  do  as  a 
harlot  does,  viz.  to  paint  the  face  and  put  on  ornaments  and  dress 
whereby  to  please  and  excite  attention  and  give  satisfaction.  This, 
viz.  the  dressing  of  human  righteousness,  is  the  Abomination,  which 
though  highly  pleasing  to  man  is  pronounced  to  be  Abomination  to 
God.    (Luke  xvi.  15.) 

But  He  in  whom  alone  God  is  well  pleased  was  not  yet  taken  out 
of  the  way,  (2  Thesp.  ii.  7,)  he  was  still  on  the  earth,  in  the  flesh, 
to  them  that  received  him,  he,  and  he  alone  working  righteousness  ; 
God  hath  not  yet  caused  this  sacrifice  and  oblation  to  cease.  (Dan. 
ix.  27.)  The  Beast,  viz.  the  Church  of  Rome,  had  not  yet  acquired 
complete  dominion  :  the  power  it  was  afterwards  to  have  was  not  yet 
fully  given  it :  power  was  now  only  given  it  over  the  fourth  part  of  the 
Earth,  (that  is,  over  a  great  proportion  of  the  professing  community, 
but  not  over  the  saints  of  God,)  to  kill  those  earthly  professors  vith 
sword  (that  is,  the  dreadful  terror  of  the  law)  and  itith  hunger  (that 
is,  a  famine  of  the  bread  of  life,  the  word  of  God)  and  with  death 
(that  is,  the  despair  and  agony  of  the  consciousness  of  guilt  and  con- 


96  THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

viction  for  sin)  mid  with  the  beasts  of  the  earth,  (that  is,  with  false 
and  earthly  doctrines  of  men  by  which  souls  are  destroyed.)  God's 
holy  city  of  Thyatyra,  that  is,  his  chosen  people  in  whom  he  dwelt, 
who  had  not  the  doctrine  of  Jezebel  and  had  not  known  the  depths  of 
Satan,  still  enjoyed  the  full  blessings  of  heaven,  even  the  Grace  of 
God,  and  were  not  yet  fallen  to  earthly  doctrines,  were  not  yet  over- 
come by  the  beast. 

V.  9,  10,  11.  And  when  he  had  opened  the  fifth  seal,  I  saw  under  the  altar  the 
souls  of  them  that  were  slaui  for  the  word  of  God,  and  for  the  testimony  which 
they  held  :  And  they  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying.  How  long,  O  Lord,  holy 
and  true,  doSt  thou  not  judge  and  avenge  our  blood  on  Iheni  that  dwell  on  the 
earth  ? 

The  prophetic  history  of  this  period  is  still  continued  :  the  saints 
of  God  have  been  persecuted  and  slain  by  the  Beast ;  here  are  the 
prayers  of  God's  elect,  "  they  cried  loith  a  loud  voice."  And  shall 
not  God  avenge  his  own  elect  which  cry  day  and  night  unto  Him  1 
He  will  avenge  them  speedily,  as  now  will  shortly  be  seen  !  In  verse 
11,  it  is  shown  that  as  there  have  been  bloody  persecutions,  there 
are  to  be  others  yet.  They  were  to  rest  for  a  season  or  Time, 
(which  Time  is  now  nearly  fulfilled,  and  shall  be  no  longer.) 

In  the  next  verse  we  shall  see  the  astonishing  effects  of  the  prayers 
of  God's  elect.  As  Elijah  prayed  there  should  not  be  rain  on  the 
earth,  and  it  rained  not  for  three  years  and  a  half,  so  now  we  shall 
see  the  next  terrible  event  which  happens,  is  also  in  like  manner  in 
reply  to  the  prayers  of  the  saints,  whom  God  will  avenge.  Now  it 
will  be  seen  that  because  of  the  wickedness  of  men  in  putting  to 
cruel  deaths  the  saints  of  God,  and  because  of  their  despising  and 
rejecting  the  free,  unconditional  Gospel  of  the  rich  Gift  of  God,  now 
God  will  reward  them  according  to  their  works,  and  as  they  would 
not  have  life,  he  will  give  them  up  to  death,  to  total  spiritual  death  : 
and  as  they  have  despised  and  perverted  the  Gospel,  they  shall  not 
have  it  any  longer  to  despise,  but  it  shall  be  taken  away  from  the 
earth,  and  they  shall  have  their  own  earthly  doctrines  and  delusions 
instead.  The  same  terrible  judgment  and  awful  sentence  will  now 
be  inflicted  and  pronounced  upon  the  Gentiles  for  their  despising 
Christ,  which  for  the  very  same  wickedness  was  inflicted  upon  the 
Jews,  viz.  "Lei  them  not  come  into  Thy  Righteousness/"  They 
have  loved  their  own  righteousness  and  rejected  the  Righteousness 
of  God,  which  is  by  the  faith  of  Christ,  and  they  shall  have  their 
own  righteousness,  and  the  Gospel  of  God  shall  be  taken  from  them  I 

V.  12.  And  I  beheld  when  he  had  opened  the  sixth  seal,  and  lo,  there  was  a 
great  earthquake  ;  and  the  sun  became  black  as  sackcloth  of  hair,  and  the  rnoon 
became  as  blood. 

Now  this  terrible  judgment  is  accomplished.  Here  is  the  event  of 
that  falling  away  foretold  by  the  prophets  of  old,  and  by  the  Apostles 
of  Jesus  Christ. 

It  takes  place  as  foretold  by  Daniel,  in  the  midst  of  the  first  cen- 
tennial week  after  the  Messiah  was  cut  oft'  for  the  sins  of  his  people. 
It  is  total :  and  it  will  also  be  seen  that  there  never  has  been  a  com- 
plete restoration  of  the  Gospel  since  this  falling  away  down  to  the 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST-  97 

present  day.  God's  elect,  in  the  very  best  church  since  that  of  Thya- 
tyra,  (viz.  the  Church  in  Philadelphia,)  are  declared  to  have  had  only 
"  a  little  strength,^''  (ch.  iii.  8.)  And  it  must  be  so  ;  much  as  the  pride 
of  those  who  think  they  know  every  thing  will  rebel  against  it,  for 
the  sure  word  of  prophecy  has  declared  that  this  falling  away  and 
the  power  of  false  churches,  should  continue  during  the  space  of 
1260  years. 

The  precise  time  when  it  began  is  not  known,  though  it  was  in 
the  midst  of  the  first  700  years ;  and  God  has  wisely  ordered  this, 
by  which  the  precise  day  and  hour  when  it  will  be  no  longer  cannot 
be  known,  for  this,  says  the  Lord  Christ,  "  knoweth  no  mariy  hut  only 
my  Father  which  is  in  heaven.''^ 

As  God  has  shown  that  to  enter  into  his  Righteousness,  yea,  into 
etern9,l  life,  is  by  His  Grace,  by  his  free  gift,  by  his  especial  favour, 
according  to  the  good  pleasure  of  his  will,  and  not  of  him  that  will- 
eth ;  and  as  God  has  made  known  that  this  immense  Gift  is  given 
to  whom  he  pleases  only,  and  them  he  has  chosen  in  Christ  before 
the  foundation  of  the  world, — as  He  has  shown  that  it  is  entirely  his 
Gift  by  giving  it,  so  now  he  will  also  show  that  it  is  entirely  his  Gift 
and  just  as  He  pleases,  by  not  giving  it !  (Wo  to  those  wicked 
priests  of  Baal,  who  deceitfully  say,  "  yes,  it  is  his  Gift,'^  and  say, 
afterwards,  that  something  must  be  paid  for  it  !) 

"  Lo  !  there  was  a  great  earthquake  ;"  that  is,  a  great  shaking  or 
change  and  revolution  took  place  in  the  religious  world,  which  is 
called  the  Earth. 

"  The  Sun  became  black  as  sackcloth  of  hair ;"  that  is,  the  Gospel 
of  light  and  joy  (which  is  compared  to  the  Sun  and  is  called  the  Sun 
of  Righteousness)  was  now  darkened,  and  made  a  source  of  mourn- 
ing and  wo :  Christians  were  now  to  be  known  by  sackcloth  and 
ashes,  and  not  by  the  oil  of  gladness  and  everlasting  joys  upon  their 
head.  The  genius  of  the  religion  of  this  period  is  fully  described  by 
the  word  sackcloth,  which  became  the  covering  of  all  who  aimed  at 
eminent  sanctity  of  the  flesh. 

"  The  Moon  became  as  blood."  As  the  Sun  which  rules  by  day 
signifies  the  bright,  glorious  and  gladsome  Gospel,  so  the  Moon 
(which  rules  by  night)  signifies  the  holy  Law  of  God  which  is  given 
for  transgressors  and  the  ungodly,  to  rule  over  darkness,  to  punish 
disobedience,  and  avenge  all  unrighteousness  and  ungodliness.  (1  Tim. 
i.  9.)  Blood  signifies  life,  (as  is  said  in  Deuteronomy):  and  now  it 
was,  that  religious  people  (the  Earth)  sought  life  from  the  Law  of 
God,  and  not  by  Jesus  Christ,  and  thus  the  Moon  (the  Law)  was 
turned  into  blood,  that  is,  was  represented  as  if  it  was  the  Gospel,  as 
if  it  gave  life,  it  was  now  preached  as  the  source  of  life  and  salva- 
tion. The  works  and  deeds  and  piety  of  men,  their  obediences  to 
the  Law,  were  now  preached  as  if  they  were  life  and  atonement, 
(that  is,  as  blood)  :  Thus  while  the  Gospel  (the  Sun)  was  darkened, 
hidden  and  totally  obscured  by  the  sackcloth  covering  of  austere 
works  of  human  righteousness,  at  the  same  time  also  the  Law  (the 
Moon)  became  "  as  blood,"  as  if  it  were  the  means  of  life  and  of 
atonement. 
13 


98  THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

V.  13.  And  the  stars  of  heaven  fell  unto  the  earth,  even  as  a  fig-tree  casteth  her 
untimely  figs,  when  she  is  shaken  of  a  mighty  wind. 

"  The  stars  of  heaven  fell  vnto  the  earth,  <!^'c."  That  is,  the  chil- 
dren of  God,  those  who  had  till  now  possessed  the  truth  and  followed 
sound  doctrine,  in  the  midst  of  error  and  falsehood  surrounding  them, 
now  fell  from  heaven,  that  is,  from  the  kingdom  of  Grace.  They 
fell  "  to  the  earth,^^  that  is,  they  became  earthly,  and  followers  of 
earthly,  sensual,  formal  religion ;  they  became  worshippers  in  the 
outer  tabernacle  of  the  Law,  not  entering  into  the  holiest  of  all,  into 
the  presence  of  God,  where  he  who  believes  has  access  by  Jesus 
Christ,  and  is  carried  there  by  Him  our  Great  anointed  High  Priest. 
This  is  to  be  in  heaven,  to  be  brought  out  of  the  earthly  tabernacle 
into  the  holiest  of  all :  to  have  peace  with  God  and  fellowship  with 
him  by  Jesus  Christ.  They  fell  completely,  like  untimely  figs  shaken 
off  by  a  mighty  wind  ;  that  is,  they  were  overcome  and  shaken  by 
the  wind  of  earthly  doctrine,  and  holding  but  slightly  to  the  truth, 
like  untimely  figs  to  the  fig  tree,  they  did  not  hold  fast  their  profes- 
sion of  the  truth  of  heaven,  but  fell  from  the  doctrine  of  God  to  the 
earth,  to  false  doctrine  and  to  earthly  human  religion ;  having  begun, 
they  did  not  endure  to  the  end,  nor  stand  fast  in  the  faith,  in  having 
Christ  to  do  all  for  them,  they  ceasing  from  all  their  works,  doing 
nothing.  This  is  so  contrary  to  man,  it  is  so  unearthly  a  doctrine, 
that  from  the  time  any  one  receives  the  truth  he  will  be  strongly 
tempted  to  deny  it  and  to  fall  from  heaven  to  the  earth  ;  all  will  be 
tried,  and  it  will  be  seen  who  are  like  untimely  figs  and  have  no  root 
and  only  endure  for  a  while ;  or,  who  endure  to  the  end,  being  rooted 
and  grounded  in  Love. 

v.  14.  And  the  heaven  departed  as  a  scroll  when  it  is  rolled  together  ;  and  every 
mount  and  island  were  moved  out  of  their  places. 

"  The  heaven  departed:''^  that  is,  the  doctrine  of  God's  Grace  was 
no  longer  taught  or  known  on  the  earth,  "  as  a  scroll,''^  the  word  of 
God  became  shut  up  to  the  understandings  of  men,  like  a  scroll  rolled 
together  ;  the  word  of  God  was  now  a  sealed  book,  a  scroll  rolled 
up,  (Is.  xiii.  9,  10 :  xx.xiv.  4,)  which  was  no  longer  open  and  under- 
stood, as  it  had  been. 

"  Every  mount,  <SfC.'^  These  are  the  different  churches  or  assem- 
blages of  God's  people  which  had  existed  hitherto ;  they  were  called 
mounts,  as  elevated  above  the  earth,  which  true  disciples  are ;  and 
islands,  because  they  are  spots  and  resting  places  in  the  midst  of  the 
wide  sea,  (that  is,  the  world.)  But  now  all  these  churches  of  the 
faithful  hitherto,  were  to  be  discovered  no  more,  they  had  fled  away  ; 
the  harlot  Church  now  reigned  alone,  and  all  these  little  assemblages 
of  believers  disappeared,  one  great  mountain  alone  predominated, 
(viz.  the  Church  of  Rome.) 

V.  15,  16,  17.  And  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  the  great  men,  and  the  rich  men, 
and  the  chief  captains,  and  the  mighty  men,  and  every  bondman,  and  every  free- 
man, hid  themselves  in  the  dens  and  in  the  rocks  of  the  mountains  :  And  said  to 
the  mountains  and  roeks,  Fall  on  us,  and  hide  us  fiom  the  face  of  him  that  silteth  on 
the  throne,  and  from  the  wrath  of  the  Lamb:  For  the  groat  day  of  his  wrath  is 
come ;  and  who  shall  be  able  to  stand  ? 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  99 

Now  all,  without  exception,  kings  (that  is,  preachers  and  minis- 
ters who  lorded  over  their  flocks)  and  all,  of  whatsoever  condition  or 
eminence  in  the  churches,  both  high  and  low,  hid  themselves:  that 
is,  instead  of  the  joy  and  gladness  of  the  Gospel,  one  universal  prin- 
ciple of  religious  awe  and  terror  prevailed  over  men's  minds :  they 
were  in  the  condition  of  Adam  who,  when  he  fell,  hid  himself.  They 
were  now  fallen  from  Grace ;  fear  not  love  now  prevailed,  and  smit- 
ten by  the  law,  and  only  knowing  consciousness  of  guilt,  they  sought 
how  they  could  escape  from  wrath  :  they  hid  themselves  in  dens,  <SfC. : 
that  is,  they  sought  to  cover  their  nakedness  of  true  Righteousness, 
with  righteousness  of  their  own  working  :  they  retired  to  dens  and 
caves  and  monasteries  and  nunneries,  and  solitary  retirements,  as 
was  literally  the  case,  in  order,  as  they  said,  to  work  out  their  salva- 
tion and  escape  from  wrath.  To  such  things  they  now  looked  for 
deliverance,  they  vainly  called  upon  expedients  such  as  these  to  hide 
them  from  the  wrath  of  God.  They  thought  they  would  be  securely 
covered  and  protected  by  these  their  own  doings  and  penances  and  se- 
vere observances ;  a  universal  religious  panic  pervaded  all  Christendom, 
and  men  vied  with  each  other  in  exhibiting  their  austere  penances, 
and  in  proving  the  sincerity  of  their  fear.  The  law  of  God  is  like  a 
mountain  weighing  down  a  man  and  pressing  upon  him  ;  it  is  too 
heavy  to  bea^.  By  faith  this  mountain  is  cast  into  the  sea  where  it 
properly  belongs  ;  now,  men  did  not  desire  to  be  delivered  from  this 
mountain,  but  on  the  contrary  were  desirous  that  it  should  fall  upon 
them,  they  thought  it  would  cover  them  from  wrath,  they  thought 
that  by  being  under  the  law  and  taking  the  whole  load  of  it  upon 
themselves,  they  would  be  saved.  Thus  they  fell  from  Grace  like 
figs  from  the  fig  tree,  "  as  many  of  you  as  are  justified  by  the  law, 
ye  are  fallen  from  Grace,  Christ  is  become  of  no  effect  to  you,"  says 
the  Apostle.  But  they  were  diflferent  from  the  present  generation, 
in  that  they  called  upon  the  whole  mountain  to  cover  them,  whereas 
they  of  this  last  day  propose  for  themselves  much  easier  terms,  they 
think  to  be  hid  from  wrath  by  only  a  few  grains  of  this  enormous 
and  heavy  mountain  ;  they  are  arrived  to  such  a  pitch  of  insolent 
pride  that  they  are  determined  they  will  enter  into  heaven  on  their 
own  terms,  in  spite  of  God,  by  merely  joining  a  temperance  society, 
or  distributing  tracts,  or  teaching  a  Sunday  School. 

The  Lamb  of  God  was  now  an  object  of  terror  instead  of  love,  his 
wrath  was  feared,  and  he  was  hated;  for  all  they  that  love  death 
hate  and  fear  him.  (Prov.  viii.  36.)  Death  is  condemnation  and 
conviction  of  sin,  which  is  upon  all  those  who  love  their  own  works, 
cleaving  to  the  Law  which  ministers  death. 

"  For  the  creat  day" — That  the  last  day  was  immediately  at  hand, 
was  a  universal  and  prevalent  idea,  stimulating  men  to  great  self- 
mortifications  and  severe  penances  and  self-denials.  This  idea  pre- 
vailed at  the  early  commencement  of  the  Romish  power,  and  continued 
unimpaired  for  a  long  time  afterwards.  Who  shall  be  able  to  stand 
was  the  general  cry,  and  to  attain  this  ability  was  the  general  effort. 


100  THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

CHAPTER  VII. 

A  short  interruption  in  the  course  of  this  revealed  history  is  now 
made,  showing  the  numbers  that  will  be  saved  in  all  this  time  of 
falling  away  and  power  of  darkness,  in  which  the  Truth  is  trampled 
under  foot  and  the  beast  prospers. 

V.  1,  The  servants  of  God  are  sealed  ;  all  those  who  shall  be 
saved  in  the  time  of  1260  years,  are  foreknown  and  sealed.  These 
are  those  who  shall  be  afterwards  born  in  and  after  this  Time  of  42 
months,  during  which  the  Truth  is  driven  into  the  wilderness,  and 
the  saints  of  God,  the  holy  and  spiritual  Jerusalem,  will  be  trodden 
under  foot  by  the  Gentiles.  They  are  elect  of  God,  chosen  and 
called  and  faithful ;  they  will  believe,  and  they  will  be  faithful ;  they 
shall  never  perish,  for  they  are  created  by  the  ever  living  God  for 
his  glory  ;  they  have  no  hand  in  creating  themselves ;  they  are  kept 
by  his  power  unto  salvation ;  they  have  no  hand  in  keeping  them- 
selves, they  do  not  help  in  the  least  towards  it,  they  only  look  to 
God,  and  he  alone  saves  them. 

Great  numbers  of  the  tribes  of  Israel  are  sealed,  who  will  be  called 
of  God,  and  who  will  believe  by  the  word  of  God ;  the  number  of 
them  is  expressed  by  thousands  ;  God  knoweth  the  number.  They 
are  mentioned  first  before  the  Gentiles,  for  Judah  is  the  olive  tree, 
and  the  Gentiles  who  believe  are  grafted  into  that  tree.  For  God 
hath  only  one  people,  and  they  are  all  the  children  of  Abraham  by 
faith  in  Christ  Jesus  ;  they  are  all  Jews,  not  outwardly,  but  inwardly  ; 
circumcised  not  in  the  flesh,  but  in  the  spirit.    (Rs.  ii.  29.) 

V.  1.5.  They  are  all  before  the  throne  of  God  ;  whether  living  on 
the  earth  during  the  time  of  Zion's  affliction,  or  afterwards,  when 
the  mountain  of  the  Lord  shall  be  exalted  above  the  mountains,  it 
makes  no  diiference,  they  are  all  in  robes  made  equally  white  by  the 
blood  of  the  Lamb ;  whether  they  knew  all  the  goodness  of  God 
when  they  lived  in  the  body,  or  whether  they  knew  not  all  and 
rested  not  from  their  labours,  it  makes  no  difference  now  ;  now  when 
they  are  seen  by  the  foreknowledge  of  God  before  his  throne ;  for 
now,  being  redeemed  from  the  body  they  know  his  love  which  passeth 
knowledge ;  now  are  they  filled  with  all  the  fullness  of  God,  though 
many  of  them  when  in  the  body  had  not  faith  enough  to  receive  and 
enjoy  the  full  extent  of  the  riches  of  his  grace  and  goodness. 

After  this,  the  revealed  history  is  resumed  in  the  next  chapter. 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

V.  1  to  5.  And  when  he  had  opened  the  seventh  seal,  there  was  silence  in 
heaven  about  the  space  of  half  an  hour.  And  I  saw  the  seven  angels  which  stood 
before  God  ;  and  to  them  were  given  seven  trumpets.  And  another  angel  came 
and  stood  at  the  altar,  having  a  golden  censer  ;  and  there  was  given  unto  him  much 
incense,  that  he  should  offer  it  with  the  prayers  of  all  saints  upon  the  golden  altar 
which  was  before  the  throne.  And  the  smoke  of  the  incense,  which  came  with  the 
prayers  of  the  saints,  ascended  up  before  God  out  of  the  angel's  hand.  And  the 
ano-el  took  the  censer,  and  filled  it  with  fire  of  the  altar,  and  cast  it  into  the  earth  : 
and  there  were  voices,  and  thunderings,  and  lightnings,  and  an  earthquake. 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  101 

It  is  here  revealed  that  for  a  certain  period  of  time  there  would  be 
silence  in  heaven ;  that  is,  a  silence  of  the  word  of  Grace  :  for  a 
certain  duration  of  the  Roman  hierarchy  no  sound  was  heard  of 
the  word  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  But  after  this  period  this 
silence  was  broken  in  upon,  and  the  fire  from  God's  altar  burned  in 
the  hearts  of  several  who  were  his  chosen  people,  and  they  spake 
the  truth  as  far  as  it  was  given  them  to  know,  and  there  were  voices, 
and  thunderings,  and  an  earthquake,  that  is,  a  shaking  or  commotion 
and  disturbance  in  the  religious  world,  which  is  the  earth.  The 
prayers  of  the  saints  now  ascended  up  to  God,  though  they  were 
mixed  with  smoke  from  the  altar,  that  is,  were  offered  up  in  legal 
darkness  and  obscurity.  These  prayers  however  availed,  and  the 
voices  and  earthquake  were  in  consequence  of  them.  These  voices 
and  earthquake  and  thunderings  and  lightnings  include  all  the  reli- 
gious commotions,  and  every  voice  of  truth  which  was  heard  in  the 
Romish  church  previous  to  what  is  called  the  Reformation,  when  the 
voices  and  thunderings  of  Wickliffe,  Huss  and  others  were  heard,  and 
produced  for  the  time  an  earthquake,  or  disturbance,  alarm  and 
trembling  in  the  earth,  the  religious  community. 

V.  6.  And  the  seven  angels,  which  had  the  seven  trumpets,  prepared  themselves 
to  sound. 

Seven  angels  now  prepared  to  sound:  by  these  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
reveals  to  his  people  the  events  which  will  come  to  pass  on  the  earth 
and  which  intimately  concern  his  church  and  people,  from  the  period 
of  the  Church  of  Rome,  at  which  we  are  here  arrived,  down  to  his 
glorious  appearance ;  for  when  the  seventh  of  these  angels  shall 
begin  to  sound,  the  Time  of  the  dominion  and  power  of  the  Beast 
will  be  no  longer,  and  the  mystery  of  God  will  be  finished ;  then 
Christ  will  reign,  and  falsehood,  deception  and  wickedness,  under  the 
name  of  "  The  Christian  Religion,"  will  reign  no  longer. 

V.  7.  The  first  angel  sounded,  and  tliere  followed  hail  and  fire  mingled  with 
blood,  and  they  were  cast  upon  the  earth :  and  the  third  part  of  trees  was  burnt 
up,  and  all  green  grass  was  burnt  up. 

This  is  that  event  which  is  called  the  Reformation  of  Luther  and 
Calvin.  The  Gospel  they  preached  (which  was  not  the  Gospel)  is 
described  as  "  hail  and  fire,  mingled,  with  blood ;"  by  hail  and  fire 
is  signified  the  terrible  law  of  God,  both  which  came  down  from 
Mount  Sinai  when  the  law  was  given,  and  are  those  fearful  terrors 
which  accompany  the  Law.  The  hail  and  fire  was  "  mingled  with 
blood,''''  that  is,  the  reformers  taught  also  the  atonement  of  Christ 
and  salvation  by  his  death  ;  this  is  the  "  blood''''  which  Avas  mingled 
with  the  hail  and  fire.  The  Romish  church  taught  neither  the  Law 
nor  the  Gospel.  While  it  was  undisturbed  by  voices,  there  was 
silence  in  heaven.  But  now,  the  law,  ("  hail  andfirCj'')  was  mingled 
with  gospel,  (blood.)  The  effects  of  this  Reformation  are  described : 
viz.  "  the  third  part  of  the  trees  of  the  Earth,  and  all  green  grass 
was  burnt  up."  The  trees  of  the  earth  are  men  of  the  earth  ;  a  great 
proportion  of  religious  persons  "  was  burnt  up,"  that  is,  were  brought 
under  the  consuming  power  of  God's  fiery  law,  under  conviction  for 


102  THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

sin  by  the  law.  "  All  green  grass  toas  burnt  ?//>,"  these  are  the 
elect  of  God:  the  prophet  says,  "  all  flesh  is  grass  ;^^  "green"  sig- 
nifies those  that  had  life,  meaning  God's  people,  who  were  now  burnt 
up  by  the  law,  that  is,  brought  under  its  consuming  influence  and 
suffered  the  distress  and  fear  and  destruction  of  their  hopes  which 
the  law  produces  ;  they  were  burnt  up  as  well  as  earthly  professors 
also,  who  were  convicted  in  their  own  consciences  as  transgressors. 

This  ministration  of  hail  and  fire  mingled  with  blood,  or  of  the 
law  of  God  mingled  up  with  a  view  of  Christ  and  his  atonement, 
burnt  up  God's  people,  they  were  without  strength,  "  Christ  profited 
them  nothing,^''  they  were  not  delivered  from  the  dominion  and  torment 
of  sin,  for  they  were  under  the  law  which  is  "  the  strength  of  sin," 
and  they  suffered  by  the  law  distress  and  misery  and  constant  con- 
viction of  their  guiltiness,  which  is  being  burnt  up  ;  this  slate  of 
distress  and  burning  up,  which  is  death,  has  ever  since  passed  with 
the  earth  for  an  eminent  condition  of  Gospel  life :  this  is  what  they 
have  called  "  experience."  The  church  of  Christ  at  this  period  is 
called  the  church  in  Sardis,  they  thought  this  burning  up  was  life, 
but  it  was  death  ;  to  them  Christ  says,  "  thou  hast  a  name  that  thou 
livest,  and  art  dead,"  the  name  and  renown  of  this  church  continues 
to  this  day,  and  men  speak  of  this  period  as  the  "  great  and  glorious 
Reformation." 

It  was  now  that  the  protestant  Beast  arose  out  of  the  earth,  out  of 
the  pit  of  the  earth,  out  of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  earthly 
men,  as  is  related  at  full  in  a  subsequent  chapter ;  this  Beast  signifies 
the  earthly  doctrines  and  harlot  churches  of  the  Protestant  name, 
which  churches  now  arose  from  religious  people  (the  earth),  not  as 
the  first  Beast,  the  Church  of  Rome,  which  sprung  forth  from  secular 
power  and  worldly  men,  (that  is,  the  sea.) 

V.  8,  9.  And  the  second  angel  sounded,  and  as  it  were  a  great  mountain  burn- 
ing with  fire  was  cast  into  the  sea,  and  the  third  part  of  the  sea  became  blood.  And 
the  third  part  of  the  creatures  which  were  in  the  sea,  and  had  life,  died ;  and  the 
third  part  of  the  ships  were  destroyed. 

Here  is  described  an  improved  era  in  the  Church  of  Christ,  some 
time  after  that  Reformation  which  has  been  described  in  the  former 
verses.  God  had  bestowed  more  faith  and  more  of  the  knowledge  of 
himself  upon  his  people  ;  they  now  saw  plainer  than  had  been  seen 
at  first  by  those  who  had  a  greater  name  and  renown.  They  now 
had  "  a  little  strength^  This  is  the  period  of  the  Church  in  Phila- 
delphia, (ch.  iii.  8.)  They  had  a  little  strength,  that  is,  faith ;  they 
had  faith  "  as  a  grain  of  mustard  seed"  and  therefore  a  great 
mountain  was  cast  by  them  into  the  sea  ;  that  is,  they  were  delivered 
from  the  law,  it  was  cast  into  the  world,  they  were  filled  with  the 
Spirit  of  the  Lord,  and  the  world  was  struck  and  smitten  by  the 
Law.  The  mouths  of  the  wicked  and  ungodly  were  stopped,  they 
beheld  their  good  works  and  were  afraid  and  glorified  God,  and  be- 
came blood,  that  is,  now  even  the  sea,  the  men  of  the  world  were 
constrained  to  become  Christians  in  profession.  Infidelity  (as  the 
proud  raging  of  the  Sea  is  called)  dare  not  open  its  mouth  when  the 
people  of  God  walk  as  becomes   children  of  God  :  the  reality  of 


THE  REVELATION  OP  JESUS  CHRIST.  103 

God's  truth  is  then  before  their  eyes,  and  they  fear  the  law  of  God  ; 
this  law,  which  is  "  as  it  were  a  mountain  burning  with  fire"  (like 
to  mount  Sinai  which  burned  with  fire,)  is  cast  upon  them,  (into  the 
sea);  and  in  their  fear  they  become  professors  of  religion.  This 
effect  was  by  no  means  produced  upon  all,  but  upon  a  third  part  of 
the  sea,  a  great  number  ;  a  third  part  of  those  that  had  life  died, 
they  were  convinced  of  the  law  as  transgressors,  having  been  before, 
alive  without  the  law,  not  fearing  nor  believing  that  sin  was  evil,  and 
that  there  was  a  sure  reward  for  evil  doers ;  their  ships  were  de- 
stroyed, their  confidence  and  hope  in  their  virtue,  honour  and 
morality,  (which  are  the  ships  of  the  sea,)  now  died  away  ;  the  men 
of  the  world  trust  in  these  their  ships  and  think  they  are  safe,  though 
a  little  wind  of  temptation  blows  them  to  pieces.  But  now  a  third 
part  of  these  false  confidences  were  destroyed,  for  the  manifestation 
of  the  power  of  God  in  his  people  will  put  to  silence  the  boasting  of 
foolish  men  about  their  virtue  and  philosophy,  and  such  like  ships  of 
human  building. 

This  period  is  the  brightest  time  of  God's  elect  during  all  the  time 
of  the  falling  away  ;  now  the  Sun  shone  the  brightest  and  was  less 
darkened  than  at  any  other  period  of  the  42  months.  Sound  doctrine 
prevailed  ,•  that  eternal  truth,  that  God  is  God,  that  is  to  say,  he  hath 
mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy,  and  whom  he  will  he  hardeneth, 
(which  now  it  shocks  this  adulterous  generation  even  to  hear  of,  and 
which  in  their  wisdom  and  knowledge  they  have  exploded  as  an  ab- 
surdity,) it  would  then  have  shocked  the  most  earthly  professors  to 
have  heard  called  in  question. 

God's  people  of  this  period  are  called  the  Church  in  Philadelphia. 
God  will  make  the  enemies  of  his  truth  to  know  that  he  loved  them, 
as  also  all  his  people  with  an  everlasting  love.  Though  a  church  of 
Christ,  yet  the  Truth  was  in  the  wilderness  ;  there  was  a  mixed  mul- 
titude with  them :  they  were  in  the  midst  of  a  generation  which 
received  not  the  truth  in  the  love  of  it,  though  they  all  appeared  to 
do  so  and  were  professors.  But  the  "  hour  of  temptation"  is  approach- 
ing to  try  the  earth,  the  earthly  professors,  or  "  them  that  dwell  upon 
the  earth,"  whose  conversation  was  not  in  heaven,  who  pretended  to 
be  servants  of  God,  and  yet  in  their  hearts  stuck  to  the  earth  and 
minded  earthly  things  ;  God  will  try  them.  God  however  restrained 
it  yet  for  a  while,  in  the  time  of  this  church,  as  he  had  promised 
that  he  would  keep  them  from  that  dreadful  hour  which  was  coming, 
(ch.  iii.  10.) 

V.  10.  And  the  third  angel  sounded,  and  there  fell  a  great  star  from  heaven, 
burning  as  it  were  a  lamp,  and  it  fell  upon  the  third  part  of  the  rivers,  and  upon 
the  fountains  of  waters. 

When  the  third  angel  sounded,  that  hour  of  temptation  was  opened. 
A  great  star  falling  from  heaven,  signifies  a  professor  of  eminence 
and  renown  who  fell  from  heaven ;  that  is,  who  fell  from  the  profes- 
sion and  acknowledgment  of  the  truth  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  :  as 
in  the  former  chapter,  they  who  received  the  heavenly  truth,  when 
they  fell  from  it  were  spoken  of  as  stars  falling  from  heaven.     This 


104  THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

man  therefore  is  one  who  falls  from  the  true  doctrine  of  heaven 
which  now  prevailed  among  the  Protestants. 

"  Burning  as  it  were  a  lamp ;"  that  is,  appearing  to  the  world  a» 
if  he  were  really  a  burning  and  a  shining  light ;  giving  a  great  light 
'■^  as  it  were'''  (but  not  really)  "a  lamp."  The  word  of  God  is  a 
lamp,  and  the  burning  of  this  famous  man,  seems  to  be,  it  is  as  it 
were  the  word  of  God,  that  is,  a  lamp.  This  star,  this  great  profes- 
sor who  departed  from  the  true  doctrine  of  God,  and  so  fell  from 
heaven,  is  the  celebrated  Arminius  whose  celebrated  work  at  this 
period  made  its  appearance  and  came  burning  like  a  lamp  upon  the 
Protestant  churches.  Before  the  appearance  of  this  man's  writings, 
the  doctrine  of  God's  absolute  election,  which  is  in  other  words  the 
doctrine  that  God  is  God,  had  been  the  universal  and  unquestioned 
doctrine  of  the  Protestant  earth,  and  the  elect  of  God  who  received 
the  truth  in  the  love  of  it,  had  been  blessed  and  preserved.  But  now 
the  doctrine  that  a  corrupt  tree  can,  if  it  will,  bring  forth  good  fruit, 
and  that  when  it  does  begin  then  God  will  have  mercy,  but  never  till 
then,  this  wicked  doctrine  now  for  the  first  time  was  publicly  sent 
forth,  or  (as  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  revealed  ages  before)  it  now  fell 
from  heaven.  The  doctrine  is  called  from  the  name  of  this  great 
star  the  "  Arminian  doctrine"  to  this  day. 

It  fell  upon  "  the  third  part  of  the  rivers ;"  that  is,  this  man's 
doctrine  was  immediately  received  by  a  great  portion  of  the  people 
or  nations  of  the  Protestant  earth :  it  fell  upon  "  the  fountains  of 
waters."  The  Bible,  the  word  of  God,  is  the  fountain  of  living  waters, 
and  these  fountains  were  now  perverted  by  the  "  new  light"  like  a 
lamp  ;  which  fell  upon  them. 

V.  11.  And  the  name  of  the  star  is  called  Wormwood  :  and  the  third  part  of 
the  waters  became  wormwood ;  and  many  men  died  of  the  waters,  because  they 
were  made  bitter. 

The  name  of  the  star  is  called  Wormwood ;  and  so  it  is  ;  the 
name  Arminius,  divested  of  the  Latin  termination,  is  made  up  of  the 
Hebrew  root  wliich  signifies  bitterness,  that  is,  Wormwood.  And 
not  only  his  name  is  literally  wormwood,  but  also  his  doctrine  is  lite- 
rally bitterness  or  wormwood,  it  is  a  "  root  of  bitterness"  of  which 
the  Apostle  Paul  gave  warning.  The  honey-comb  of  truth  has  been 
made  bitter  to  many  by  this  deceiving  and  lying  doctrine,  and  many 
souls  have  been  destroyed  thereby,  and  many  have  died  from  the 
bitterness  of  the  waters ;  the  strong  drink  of  the  Gospel  has  been 
made  bitter  to  them  that  drink  it.  (Ish.  24.)  The  fear  that  there 
was  really  something  of  this  man's  bitterness  in  some  parts  of  the 
Bible,  has  filled  them  with  doubt  and  fear,  and  made  bitter  even 
what  they  did  drink.* 

*  The  Church  of  the  Laodiceans  have  imagined  they  had  "need  of  nothing," 
they  have  imagined  tiiat  from  the  moment  they  obtained  a  knowledge  of  the  Gospel, 
they  had  need  of  nothing  more,  and  that  nothing  more  was  to  be  obtained.  They 
have  imagined  that  they  were  not  to  be  chastened  and  reproved,  that  they  had 
nothing  more  to  learn;  of  all  these  things  Christ  warns  and  notifies  them,  (ch.  3.) 
The  word  of  God,  the  fountain  of  living  waters,  has  been  made  bitter  to  them,  so 
that  they  cannot  read  any  of  the  exhortations  of  Christ  to  his  saints  without  bitter- 


THE  REVKLATION  OF  JKSUS  CHRIST.  105 

V.  12.  And  the  fourth  angel  sounded,  and  tlie  third  part  of  tlie  sun  was  smitten, 
and  the  tiiird  part  of  the  moon,  and  the  third  part  of  the  stars;  so  as  the  tliird  part 
of  them  was  darkened,  and  the  day  shone  not  for  a  liiird  part  of  it,  and  the  nigiit 
likewise. 

After  the  great  and  famous  event  revealed  in  the  last  verse,  which 
event  gradually  effected  an  entire  revolution  in  the  earth  or  Christian 
world,  which  turned  the  earth  upside  down  and  made  it  reel  to  and 
fro  like  a  drunkard,  (Is.  24) :  while  this  "  as  it  icere  a  lamp'''  was 
silently  and  gradually  extending  its  bitter  leaven,  there  came  on 
perceptibly  a  darkness  and  obscurity  both  of  the  Law  and  of  the 
Gospel  (that  is,  of  the  Sun  and  of  the  Moon)  and  of  the  children  of 
God,  (that  is,  the  stars  of  heaven.)  There  is  no  fact  better  known 
than  this,  viz.  that  what  is  called  a  great  declension  of  religion 
(which  is  here  revealed)  followed  at  the  period  which  succeeded  the 
days  of  Arminius.  The  light  cf  the  church  which  preceded  that 
period,  (which  is  the  Church  in  Philadelphia,)  and  the  subsequent 
declension  and  deadness  in  the  churches,  is  a  matter  of  common  noto- 
riety. That  which  thus  took  place  was  here  revealed  ages  before 
the  time.  This  darkness  with  which  the  day  was  smitten,  (that  is, 
the  preaching  and  effects  of  the  Gospel,)  and  the  night  likewise, 
(that  is,  the  ministration  and  instruction  of  God's  law,) — this  dark- 
ness with  which,  not  all  yet  a  third  part  of  God's  people,  and  of  the 
ministration  of  the  Gospel  and  of  the  Law  was  smitten, — this  dark- 
ness and  torper  and  apathy  of  the  religious  world  is  now  about  to  be 
succeeded  by  what  has  been  imagined  by  the  earthly  men  to  be  a 
wonderful  "  revival,"  according  to  their  own  expression. 

V.  13.  And  I  beheld,  and  heard  an  angel  flying  tlirough  the  midst  of  heaven 
saying  with  a  loud  voice.  Woe,  woe,  woe  to  the  inliabiters  of  the  earth,  by  reason 
of  the  other  voices  of  the  trumpet  of  the  three  angels,  which  are  yet  to  sound  ! 

The  coming  events,  the  great  revival  succeeding  the  darkness  with 
which  the  Gospel  and  the  Law  and  the  followers  of  the  truth  were 
in  great  part  smitten,  is  of  such  dreadful  and  awful  importance  as  to 
be  ushered  in  by  the  cry  of  "  Woe,  woe,  woe,  to  the  inhabiters  of 
the  earth."  For  whereas  they  have  eagerly  received  falsehood  and 
lies,  and  hated  the  truth,  God  will  plague  them  as  he  did  the  people 
in  the  wilderness,  and  will  send  serpents  which  will  bite  them.   They 

ness  and  fainting  and  being  weary  in  their  minds,  not  knowing  that  the  exhorta- 
tion speaketh  unto  them  "  as  unto  children"  that  the  Lord  their  God  desires  them 
to  know  what  is  His  Will,  and  that  they  have  nothing  to  do,  but  Christ  will  work 
and  fulfil  all  the  good  pleasure  of  his  will  for  them  that  only  believe,  who  attempt 
not  this  work  themselves,  but,  knowing  what  is  his  good  wil!  and  that  it  is  only 
for  our  own  good,  do  seek  to  him  and  desire  him  to  work  and  perform  it.  There  is 
not  a  member  of  the  Church  of  Laodicea  who  has  not  felt  how  exceedingly  bitter 
the  fountains  of  water  liave  been  made  to  him,  and  that  vi'henevcr  he  has  met  with 
the  exhortations  of  God,  such  as  "  mortify  the  deeds  of  the  body,"  "  walk  not  after 
the  flesh,"  "  cease  to  do  evil,"  &c.  his  soul  has  fainted  and  died  within  him,  as  if 
he  had  something  to  do,  (not  discerning  Ciirist,)  for  he  knew  too  well  that  if  he 
had  any  good  to  do,  he  must  perish.  From  this  bitterness  of  tlie  waters  God  will 
now  deliver  his  people,  and  that  which  has  heretofore  smitten  them  with  death, 
which  they  have  fled  from  and  shunned  as  being  legal  and  savouring  of  bondage, 
(and  which  is  indeed  bitter  bondage  to  the  children  of  the  bondwoman,)  will  be 
their  joy  and  delight. 
14 


106  THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

would  not  receive  the  Gospel  which  heals  and  gives  life,  but  they 
will  receive  lies  and  delusions  which  fill  them  with  torment  and 
death ;  and  they  will  be  proud  of  these  delusions  and  call  them  a 
revival  of  religion.  Now  the  hour  of  temptation  is  fully  come;  now 
come  "  serpents  and  scorpions  and  all  the  poiver  of  the  enemy.'''' 
The  solemnity  of  the  announcement  shows  what  a  curse,  what  a 
dreadful  thing  falsehood  is,  especially  such  falsehood  as  relates  to 
the  truth  of  God.  It  is  indeed  no  light  thing  to  depart  from  the 
truth  of  God  and  follow  the  doctrines  and  teaching  of  men. 

CHAPTER  IX. 

V.  1,  2.  And  tlic  fifth  angel  sounded,  and  I  saw  a  star  fall  from  heaven  unto 
the  earth  :  and  to  him  was  given  the  key  of  the  bottomless  pit.  And  he  opened 
the  bottomless  pit:  and  there  arose  a  smoke  out  of  the  pit,  as  the  smoke  of  a  great 
furnace;  and  the  sun  and  the  air  were  darkened  by  reason  of  the  smoke  of  the  pit. 

"  A  star  falling  from  heaven"  signifies,  as  before,  a  man  of  some 
eminence  forsaking  the  right  way  and  denying  the  truth.  A  deep 
or  bottomless  pit  is  (as  Solomon  says)  a  harlot  or  whore,  that  is,  a 
false  church,  springing  out  of  the  deep  pit  of  the  inventions  of  the 
human  heart.  The  harlot  Church  here  spoken  of,  the  deep  pit 
which  is  now  opened  (having  been  quiet  and  shut  up  before),  is  the 
Church  of  England  ;  it  is  a  pit  of  the  earth,  that  is,  of  earthly  reli- 
gious men.  The  smoke  which  now  rose  out  of  the  pit,  is  vain  and 
false  doctrine  which  now  emanates  from  the  Church  of  England. 
This  smoke  darkened  yet  more  the  Sun  and  the  air,  that  is,  the 
brightness  and  life  of  the  glorious  Gospel  of  God,  as  it  yet  shone 
upon  the  earth. 

V.  3.  And  there  came  out  of  the  smoke  locusts  upon  the  earth ;  and  unto  them 
was  given  power,  as  the  scorpions  of  the  cartii  have  power. 

These  locusts  are  the  swarms  of  Methodist  preachers  which  the 
smoke,  the  vain  religious  glory  and  false  doctrine  which  arose  from 
the  pit  aforementioned,  now  engendered.  They  now  came  upon  the 
earth,  that  is  made  their  appearance  in  the  religious  world ;  they  are 
as  locusts  because  of  their  multitude,  and  because,  spreading  over 
the  religious  world,  like  locusts  they  destroy,  as  much  as  was  per- 
mitted them  to  do,  whatever  was  green  and  flourishing  on  it.  Power 
was  given  unto  them,  as  scorpions :  that  is,  they  were  permitted  to 
sting  men  as  scorpions  sting,  first  producing  pain,  writhing  and 
convulsion  ;  and  next  a  swelling  or  puffing  up.  First  they  sting  with 
the  stings  of  conscience,  and  then  they  filled  men  with  vain  and  ini- 
ao^inary  swellings  of  peace  and  glory. 

V.  4.  And  it  was  commanded  them  that  they  should  not  hurt  the  grass  of  the 
earth,  neither  any  green  thing,  neither  any  tree;  but  only  those  men  wliich  have 
not  the  seal  of  God  in  their  foreheads. 

That  is,  no  power  was  given  them  over  God's  elect,  to  hurt  them  ; 
for  according  to  the  words  of  Christ  he  gives  them  power  "  to  tread 
on  serpents  and  scorpions  and  all  the  poioer  of  the  enemy, ''^  therefore 
they  could  not  be  hurt  by  these ;  God's  elect  are  the  grass  of  the 
earth  and  the  green  thing  and  the  trees  of  God's  planting ;  but  they 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  107 

had  power  over  those  who  had  not  the  seal  of  God  in  their  foreheads. 
Accordingly  they  made  their  converts  from  the  sea  more  than  from 
the  earth ;  that  is,  from  among  people  who  hitherto  made  no  pro- 
fession of  religion  rather  than  from  the  religious  world,  which  is 
the  earth  :  the  success  of  the  Methodists  this  way,  sometimes  over 
whole  districts  of  irreligious  persons,  was  very  great. 

V.  5.  And  to  them  it  was  given  that  they  should  not  liill  them,  but  that  they 
should  be  tormented  five  months  :  and  their  torment  was  as  the  torment  of  a  scor- 
pion, when  he  slriketh  a  man. 

They  should  not  kill  them,  that  is,  they  should  not  lead  any  man  to 
a  real  conviction  and  suffering  for  sin,  which  is  the  real  death  the 
Law  of  God  inflicts  upon  men  whose  consciences  aie  brought  under 
its  power :  they  were  to  torment  them  and  sting  them  with  terrors 
and  fears  and  alarms,  and  this  power  is  to  be  possessed  by  them  five 
months,  that  is,  the  doctrine  and  power  of  the  Methodists  is  to  prevail 
for  150  years  from  its  first  rise,  and  no  longer.  Their  torment  was  to 
be  like  that  of  a  scorpion,  that  is,  to  make  men  writhe  and  be  convulsed 
with  pain  and  then  to  be  swelled  up  bodily,  that  is,  in  their  fleshly 
minds.  Accordingly  this  sect  has  always  pretended  to  enjoy  more 
happiness  and  to  feel  more  lively  feelings  than  others,  because  while 
others  were  slain  by  the  sword  of  the  law,  they  were  not  killed  by  it. 
Joel  also  prophesies  of  them,  calling  them  grasshoppers,  and  saying 
they  would  fall  upon  the  sword  (of  the  law)  and  it  should  not  kill 
them. 

V.  fi.  And  in  those  days  shall  men  seek  death,  and  shall  not  find  it;  and  shall 
desire  to  die,  and  death  shall  flee  fi'om  them. 

In  those  days,  men,  (and  therefore  though  this  thing  is  peculiar  to 
the  Methodist  sect,  it  does  not  distinguish  them  alone,  it  has  been  a 
fashion  among  all  the  sects,)  "  men  shall  seek  death  ;"  that  is,  they 
will  labour  and  try,  with  all  their  might  and  main,  to  get  conviction 
for  sin,  or  religion,  or  a  religious  experience,  as  they  call  it.  They 
will  try  to  persuade  themselves  and  to  feel  that  they  are  dead  sinners, 
hell-deserving  sinners  (death  they  consider  the  very  essence  of  vital 
religion) :  they  will  seek  to  have  experiences  ;  and  try  to  force  them- 
selves to  feel  that  distress  and  sorrow  for  sin  which  is  a  truly  painful 
and  terrible  state  of  death ;  but,  they  will  try  in  vain,  they  shall  not 
find  it,  said  the  Holy  Spirit  of  Christ  by  the  Apostle  John,  in  the 
Revelation  of  Jesus  Christ,  ages  before  this  thing  came  to  pass. 
This  death,  this  knowledge  of  sin  which  is  by  the  Law,  is  not  a  forced 
work,  and  at  the  command  of  men  when  they  please  :  it  is  God  only 
"  xoho  teacheth  man  knowledge,^''  who  bringeth  his  people  whom  he 
chooses  to  the  gates  of  death,  that  he  may  lift  them  up  again  and 
give  them  to  live  for  ever.  All  this  forced  labour  and  straining 
efforts  of  men  to  squeeze  themselves  as  it  were  to  feel  what  sinners 
they  are,  this  seeking  of  death,  shall  be  in  vain  !  they  will  not  know 
nor  find  in  reality  that  which  they  talk  and  glory  so  much  about ! 

lliey  shall  desire  to  die ;  they  shall  wish  hard  and  desire  very 
much  indeed  and  very  sincerely  to  get  conviction  and  an  experience. 
Such  is  literallv  the  case  with  the  inhabiters  of  the  earth,  and  has 


108  THE  REVELATION"   OF  JESUS  CHUIST. 

been  the  case  with  men  ever  since  the  days  of  the  Methodists  "  in 
those  days."  It  has  been  a  universal  rage,  a  mania,  a  religious 
fashion  of  the  first  importance  and  necessity  to  seek  death. 

Herein  we  may  behold  the  wonderful,  the  just  and  righteous  retri- 
bution of  God !  for  the  Methodist  doctrine  teaches  that  Life  is  in  a 
man's  own  power;  God  hereby  determines  that  not  even  Death  is  in 
their  own  power  !  "  Not  by  might  nor  by  power,  but  by  My  Spirit 
snith  the  Lord.''''  That  which  God  gives  only,  and  gives  freely  and 
for  notiiing  from  us,  is  not  to  be  gotten  by  might  or  efiort ;  it  is 
only  to  be  passively  received.  To  think  to  get  it  by  effort  or  trying 
is  effectually  denying  that  it  is  a  gift ;  and  how  should  God  give  any 
good  thing  to  them  who  deny  that  He  gives  ? 

V.  7.  And  the  shapes  of  the  locusts  were  like  unto  horses  prepared  unto  battle  : 
and  on  their  heads  were  as  it  were  crowns  like  gold,  and  their  faces  were  as  the 
faces  of  men. 

A  horse  prepared  unto  battle,  represents  a  fleshly  preacher,  going 
forth  with  inward  confidence  in  his  own  strength  and  prowess,  going 
to  do  great  exploits  as  he  vainly  and  pompously  imagines.  A  liorse 
aptly  represents  animal  strength  and  beauty,  it  is  admirable  in  its 
going  and  is  an  object  of  pride  and  admiration  among  men  ;  so  also 
are  such  preachers  spiritually.  These  locusts  are  preachers  ;  they 
have  on  their  heads  "  crowns,  as  it  were,  like  gold."  The  saints  of 
God  have  crowns  of  pure  gold  on  their  heads  ;  but  these  have  imita- 
tions, counterfeits,  they  are,  as  it  were,  like  gold,  but  not  real  and 
genuine  gold.  The  glory  of  Christ  is  the  crown  of  glory  to  the 
saints  of  God  ;  these  also  appear  to  have  a  crown  of  glory,  and  often 
exclaim  '■'■glory,  glory"  but  it  is  only  a  poor  resemblance  to  the 
real  glory,  to  the  genuine  gold,  though  it  is  as  it  were,  and,  like. 
By  these  appearances  of  glory  and  holiness  they  who  have  not  the 
seal  of  God  in  their  foreheads  are  deceived  and  judging  after  the 
outward  appearance,  think  that  surely  these  are  the  people  of  God, 
these  are  the  saints  ! 

V.  8.  And  they  liad  hair  as  tlic  liair  of  women,  and  their  teeth  were  as  the  teeth 
of  lions. 

This  is  truly  and  literally  the  case  :  this  is  the  way  in  which  the 
preachers  of  the  Methodists,  and  especially  when  they  first  appeared, 
were  all  of  them  in  the  habit  of  wearing  their  hair,  having  it  smoothed 
down  and  flattened  in  front,  and  some  even  wearing  it  long  behind, 
exactly  like  the  hair  of  women,  giving  to  their  faces  (which  were 
the  faces  of  men)  the  meek  and  gentle  appearance  of  women.  But 
with  all  these  gentle  and  woman-like  appearances,  they  had  teeth 
like  lions,  they  destroyed  souls  and  devoured  men.  (Joel.)  No  de- 
scription could  be  more  exact  than  this  description  which  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  has  made  of  them  many  ages  before  they  or  their 
fathers  were  born.     "  i/e  knowetk  our  thoughts  afar  off!'''' 

V.  9.  And  they  had  breastplates,  as  it  were  breastplates  of  iron  ;  and  the  sound 
of  their  wings  was  as  the  sound  of  chariots  of  many  horses  running  to  battle. 

A  breastplate  signifies  Righteousness ;  being  as  it  were  of  iron, 
represents  with  great  exactness   the  nattn-e  and  description  of  the 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  109 

righteousness  inculcated  and  (as  a  breastplate)  buckled  on  by  this 
religious  sect.  It  is  not  the  Righteousness  of  Christ,  which  being 
imputed  they  reject  and  deny  (and  thereby  reject  Christ,  for  Christ 
himself  is  the  righteousness  which  is  imputed  to  them  that  believe): 
but  it  is  a  harsh,  a  severe,  a  strict,  a  cold,  austere  righteousness  ;  in 
a  word,  it  is  an  iron  righteousness  which  they  put  on  like  a  breast- 
plate. 

The  sound  of  their  wings:  here  is  represented  the  noise  and  bustle 
they  make  when  they  assemble  :  the  confusion,  bustling,  prancing  and 
shouting  with  which  they  go  to  battle,  and  gather  together  at  their 
camp  meetings,  &;c.:  for  their  noise  is  verj'  great. 

V.  10.  And  they  liad  tails  like  unto  scorpions  ;  and  there  were  stings  in  their 
tails:  and  their  power  was  to  hurt  men  five  months. 

They  had  tails ;  "  the  prophets  ichich  speak  lies  they  are  the 
tail"  saith  the  prophet  Isaiah.  They  are  not  described  as  having 
heads,  "  the  ancient  and  honourable  they  are  the  head,''''  says  the 
same  prophet  ;  these  have  not  the  head,  because  the  Methodists 
have  been  from  their  beginning  an  ignoble  people,  not  generally 
composed,  like  some  sects,  of  the  high  and  honourable  classes,  but 
on  the  contrary  of  the  lower  classes.  These  tails  sting  and  torment 
like  scorpions,  and  it  is  here  again  repeated,  their  power  is  limited 
to  five  months,  that  is,  150  years  :  more  than  a  hundred  years  of  this 
time  is  already  expired,  for  they  first  appeared  about  the  year  1725. 

V.  11, 12.  And  they  had  a  king  over  them,  which  is  the  angel  of  the  bottomless 
pit,  whose  name  in  the  Hebrew  tongue  is  Abaddon,  but  in  the  Greek  tongue  hath 
his  name  Apollyon.  One  woe  is  past:  and,  behold,  there  come  two  woes  more 
hereafter. 

This  king  or  prince  over  them,  whom  they  obeyed  implicitly,  and 
whose  word  they  study  and  follow  to  this  day,  is  John  Wesley ;  he 
was  an  angel^  that  is,  a  messenger  of  that  deep  pit  or  harlot,  the 
Church  of  England,  having  been  sent  forth  from  her  and  commis- 
sioned or  ordained  by  her,  and  ever  zealously  devoted  to  her,  always 
believing  that  her  harlot  trimmings  and  dresses  were  more  pleasing 
to  God  than  the  forms  and  trimmings  of  any  other  harlot  whatever. 

This  name  which  God  has  given  him  is  Abaddon  and  Apollyon, 
which  signifies  the  Destroyer.  For  he  destroyed  many,  many  souls! 
This  name  is  given  to  him  in  Greek  and  in  Hebrew,  showing  that 
he  was  an  eminent  Greek  and  Hebrew  scholar,  and  therefore  he  has 
a  name  in  both  those  languages ;  also  because  he  was  both  a  Greek 
and  a  Hebrew,  for  he  united  in  himself  the  two  distinct  principles  of 
opposition  which,  in  the  beginning  of  the  Gospel,  were  made  by  the 
Greeks  and  by  the  Hebrews  separately.  The  Greeks  sought  after 
wisdom,  and  thought  to  know  God  thereby,  (1  Cor.  i.  22,)  and  the 
Hebrews,  being  ignorant  of  God's  Righteousness,  went  about  to 
establish  their  own  righteousness.  (Romans  x.  3.)  John  Wesley 
was  both  Greek  and  Hebrew,  he  sought  after  wisdom,  and  he  went 
about  to  establish  his  own  righteousness.  His  name  is  therefore  in 
both  these  languages,  signifying  a  destroyer. 

But  how  wonderful,  how  astonishing  are  God's  ways !  how  he 
renders  to  every  man  according  to  his  works  !     This  destroyer,  this 


110  THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

great  king  of  this  great  multitude,  has  in  his  writings  called  God, 
the  living  God,  the  merciful  God  and  Saviour,  "  a  Destroyer  of 
men,'''  because  he  is  pleased  to  save  ;  because  of  his  merciful  election 
of  Grace,  which  is  the  act  of  his  salvation,  and  but  for  which  all 
would  meet  the  merited  fate  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  !     (Isah.  i.  9.) 

V.  12.     One  woe  is  past ;  and,  behold,  there  come  two  woes  more  hereafter. 

The  rise  and  origin  of  this  sect  having  been  described,  and  the 
time  it  should  continue  made  known,  there  are  now  two  other  woes 
or  cries  of  prophetic  warning  to  be  fulfilled,  for  three  were  uttered, 
in  the  last  verse  of  the  chapter  preceding. 

V.  13,  14.  And  the  sixth  angel  sounded,  and  I  heard  a  voice  from  the  four 
horns  of  the  golden  altar  which  is  before  God,  saying  to  the  sixlli  angel  which  had 
the  trumpet,  loose  the  four  angels  which  are  bound  in  the  great  river  Euphrates. 

When  the  sixth  angel  sounds,  four  angels  are  loosed  in  the  river 
Euphrates.  These  angels  are  also  messengers  as  the  angel  in  the 
former  chapter  ;  hitherto  they  have  been  restrained,  but  now  they 
are  loosed  to  do  their  will. 

The  great  river  Euphrates,  signifies  a  people  :  the  river  Euphrates 
is  the  utmost  and  western  river  of  Asia  Minor,  by  which  all  Chris- 
tendom is  signified,  and  this  great  river  Euphrates  signifies  the 
people  of  North  America,  they  are  the  great  western  river,  or  people 
of  Asia,  that  is,  of  the  Christian  world.  The  religious  activity  of 
Satan  could  not  come  on  till  God  let  them  loose :  and  this  has  been 
later  than  it  began  in  England. 

V.  15,  16.  And  the  four  angels  were  loosed,  which  were  prepared  for  an  hour, 
and  a  day,  and  a  month,  and  a  year,  for  to  slay  the  third  part  of  men.  And  the 
number  of  the  army  of  the  horsemen  were  two  hundred  thousand  thousand  :  and  I 
heard  tiie  number  of  them. 

The  time  is  fixed  and  limited  which  is  given  to  the  American 
messengers  to  slay  men  by  doctrines  and  preaching  which  is  of  death 
and  not  of  life.  They  are  also  numbered,  every  one  of  them  is 
known,  and  it  is  a  very  great  number  of  fleshly  preachers,  which  (as 
it  has  been  seen  before)  are  signified  by  the  word  "  horsemen.'''' 
Whoever  they  are  who  go  forth  to  preach  damnation  instead  of  salva- 
tion, and  death  instead  of  life,  let  them  learn  that  they  are  numbered, 
"  /  heard  the  number  of  them,''^  they  are  all  numbered,  all  that  have 
been  and  that  are  and  that  shall  be.  It  is  an  exceeding  great 
number.  America  has  exceeded  England  in  the  number,  variety 
and  zeal  of  fleshly  horsemen  and  angels  (that  is,  messengers)  of 
Satan,  preaching  death  and  killing  men. 

V.  17.  And  thus  I  saw  the  horses  in  the  vision,  and  them  that  sat  on  tiiem,  hav- 
ing breastplates  of  fire,  and  of  jacinth,  and  brimstone  :  and  the  heads  of  the  iiorses 
were  as  tiie  heads  of  lions:  and  out  of  their  mouths  issued  fire,  and  smoke,  and 
brimstone. 

The  breastplates  represent  the  kind  of  righteousness  which  these 
spiritual  horsemen  teach  and  inclucate  :  "  of  fire, ^^  that  is  burning, 
zealous  and  fierce  :  "  of  brimstone,^'  that  is,  threatening,  terrific  and 
fearful,  derived  from  the  fear  of  hell,  as  that  of  fire  signifies  it  is 
derived  from   fear  of  the   law  ;  of  jacinth,  that  is,  more  polished, 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  Ill 

gentle,  and  more  beautiful  in  appearance  ;  but  none  of  them  are  the 
breastplates  of  the  Righteousness  of  God.  Now  whereas  only  three 
kinds  of  righteousness  are  described,  and  yet  there  are  four  classes 
of  horsemen,  including  all  the  sects  and  preachers  of  every  descrip- 
tion, it  shows  that  the  Methodist  name  is  one  of  the  four  in  America 
as  well  as  in  England,  the  breastplate  of  whose  righteousness  has 
already  been  described,  as  being  of  ii-on. 

Their  heads  are  as  the  heads  of  lions,  that  is,  Christ,  the  Lamb 
of  God  is  not  their  head.  The  fire,  smoke  and  brimstone  which 
issue  out  of  their  mouths,  describes  the  nature  of  their  preaching; 
"^re,"  that  is,  they  preach  the  terror  and  condemnation  of  the  law : 
"  smoke,''''  that  is,  all  sorts  of  fuming  vanity,  and  false  vainglorious 
doctrine  and  boasting :  "  brimstone,^''  that  is,  threats  of  hell  fire  and 
damnation. 

V.  18.  By  these  three  was  the  third  part  of  men  killed,  by  the  fire,  and  by  the 
smoke,  and  by  the  brimstone,  which  issued  out  of  their  mouths. 

By  these  three  the  third  part  of  the  men  of  the  earth  are  killed, 
that  is,  by  the  preaching  of  these  spiritual  horsemen.  Only  three 
are  mentioned  who  kill  men,  because  the  locusts  described  before  do 
not  kill  men,  but  on  the  contrary  puff  them  up  with  a  vain  persuasion 
of  life  and  glory,  after  having  stung  them  a  little  at  first.  The 
others,  however,  three  out  of  the  four  grand  divisions,  kill  men,  that 
is,  they  inflict  upon  men's  minds  that  conviction,  horror  and  fear, 
that  inward  dread  and  anguish  which  belongs  to  the  guilty  con- 
science, and  which  is  death. 

V.  19.  For  their  power  is  in  their  mouths,  and  in  their  tails:  for  their  tails  were 
like  unto  serpents,  and  had  heads,  and  with  tliem  they  do  hurt. 

Their  tails  were  like  unto  serpents ;  as  God  plagues  them  that 
hate  him,  so  they  who  hate  his  truth  and  doctrine  are  plagued  with 
serpents  which  torment  and  kill,  that  is,  false  prophets  who  preach 
death  and  not  life,  driving  men  to  desperation,  insanity  and  death, 
filling  them  with  inward  torments  and  banishing  all  peace  from  them, 
and  then  calling  such  torture  and  misery  the  Gospel !  The  tails  are 
false  prophets,  teachers  of  lies,  and  beads  are  ancient  and  honourable 
persons.  (Isaiah.)  The  Methodists  were  described  as  having  tails, 
but  no  mention  was  made  of  heads,  because  in  England  they  are  an 
ignoble  people,  composed  of  the  meaner  sort.  But  in  America  all 
the  various  sects  have  the  honourable,  wealthy  and  great  in  union 
and  connection  with  them,  that  is,  they  have  heads.  It  is  well  known 
that  this  is  the  case  in  the  United  States,  where  at  any  great  meet- 
ing whatever,  of  the  great  religious  confederacies,  the  ancient  and 
honourable,  that  is,  the  head,  are  to  be  seen  at  the  right  hand  of  the 
false  prophets,  (that  is,  the  tail.)  Members  of  Congress  and  persons 
in  honour  are  joined  with  the  false  prophets,  making  speeches  and 
assisting  to  give  credit  and  eclat  to  the  cause  and  proceedings  of  that 
great  city  Sodom  and  Egypt. 

V.  20,  21.  And  the  rest  of  the  men  which  were  not  killed  by  these  plagues,  yet 
repented  not  of  the  works  of  their  bands,  that  they  should  not  worship  devils,  and 
idols  of  gold,  and  silver,  and  brass,  and  stone,  and  of  wood  :  which  neither  can  see, 


112  THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

nor  hear,  nor  walk  :  Neither  repented  they  of  their  murders,  nor  of  their  sorceries, 
nor  of  their  fornication,  nor  of  their  thefts. 

The  utter  impotency  and  total  inefficiency  of  the  mighty  efforts  and 
zeal  of  the  religious  horsemen  is  manifest  enough.  Notwithstanding 
the  plagues  with  which  they  kill  some  men,  notwithstanding  their 
preaching  of  fire  and  brimstone,  they  do  not  lead  men  to  repentance. 
Some  indeed  are  killed  and  some  are  driven  to  madness  by  their 
preaching,  but  as  to  all  the  rest  of  their  numerous  followers  and 
congregations,  no  repentance  or  shame  for  doing  evil  is  produced 
upon  them.  Men  only  become  more  sinful  and  hardened  by  such  a 
ministration  of  death.  The  effects  of  such  preaching  are  here  de- 
scribed :  "  yet  they  repented  not  of  the  loorks  of  their  hands,''''  that 
they  should  not  worship  devils ;  for  though  they  appear  and  profess 
to  sacrifice  to  God,  the  Apostle  declares  ''  they  sacrifice  to  devils  and 
not  to  God.''''  The  gold  and  silver  and  brass  and  stone  and  wood  of 
the  temple  are  their  idols,  in  these  they  trust,  in  praying  and  reading 
and  singing  and  going  to  Church,  even  all  the  things  which  are  found 
in  the  temple  of  God,  but  which  are  not  God  and  cannot  save  ;  in 
these  and  all  such  things  and  works  of  their  own  they  have  confi- 
dence and  trust,  (that  is,  they  worship  them,)  and  dream  of  going  to 
heaven  by  their  influence,  while  murder,  sorcery,  fornication  and 
covetousness  is  in  their  hearts,  and  they  repent  not  of  it.  Murder, 
that  is,  hatred  and  strife  (1  John);  sorceries,  that  is,  trusting  to  the 
imaginary  power  and  charms  of  men  and  things  which  have  no 
power ;  fornication,  that  is,  thinking  to  be  partakers  of  the  grace  of 
Christ  by  purchase  and  bribe  ;  theft,  that  is,  covetousness,  greediness 
after  money,  cheating,  roguery  and  tricks,  all  which  is  become  com- 
mon and  almost  reputable  in  the  way  of  business.  Of  all  these 
things,  whether  literal  or  spiritual,  men  do  not  now-a-days  repent, 
but  excuse  them,  laugh  at  them,  or  glory  in  them,  in  spite  of  the  fire 
and  brimstone  which  they  sit  under. 

Here  the  bitter  fruits  of  the  wicked  religion  and  doctrines  of  devils 
of  this  last  day  are  summarily  and  strongly  described,  and  that 
dreadful  state  of  society,  that  general  demoralization  and  accumula- 
tion of  crime  which  falsehood  would  produce,  Eind  has  produced  in 
this  day,  is  made  known  by  the  Revelation  of  Jesus  Christ.  He  hath 
told  all  these  things  long  before  they  came  to  pass,  that  now  that 
they  are  come  to  pass  ye  may  believe. 

CHAPTER  X. 

The  former  chapter  brought  the  revelation  down  to  the  present 
day,  describing  in  the  two  concluding  verses  the  present  desolation, 
the  impenitent,  hardened  and  dreadful  condition  of  the  earth,  the 
result  of  the  Abomination  which  has  made  desolate.  Now  is  arrived 
the  announcement  of  the  approaching  end  of  the  Time  of  Abomina- 
tion, which  is  without  doubt  revealed  with  so  much  minuteness,  that 
they  who  are  ordained  unto  eternal  life,  according  to  the  everlasting 
mercy  and  pitiful  compassions  of  the  Lord  Almighty,  may  believe. 


THE  REVELATION   OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  Il3 

V.  1.  And  I  saw  another  mig^hty  angel  come  down  from  heaven,  clotlied  with 
a  cloud ;  and  a  rainbow  was  upon  his  head,  and  his  face  was  as  it  were  the  sun,  and 
his  feet  as  pillars  of  fire. 

An  angel  is  simply  a  messenger ;  this  is  merely  a  messenger  whom 
God  sends :  here  again,  as  before,  this  messenger  is  a  man.  He  is 
called  "  mighty''''  or  strong,  because  he  is  weak,  according  to  the 
words  of  the  prophet,  "  let,  the  tceak  say  I  am  strong  ;"  that  is,  hav- 
ing a  little  faith,  he  is  "  strong  in  the  Lord  and  in  the  power  of  his 
might :"  it  is  not  his  strength,  but  the  strength  of  Christ. 

"  Come  doim  from  heaven,''^  signifies  that  he  is  not  sent  by  man, 
that  he  comes  from  no  sect  or  denomination  of  the  earth,  (that  is, 
the  religious  world,)  but  that  he  comes  declaring  the  truth  of  the 
Gospel  of  the  Grace  of  God,  by  the  Spirit  of  God. 

"  Clothed  with  a  clottd,^'  signifies  clothed  with  the  Spirit  of  God, 
like  a  cloud,  being  full  of  rain  ready  to  water  the  earth :  it  also 
signifies  that  he  is  encompassed  with  infirmities  and  involved  in  ob- 
scurity and  contempt  according  to  this  world. 

"  A  rainbotv  upon  his  head,''^  signifies  the  covenant  of  God's 
mercy,  showing  that  God  in  the  midst  of  wrath  will  remember 
mercy ;  that  when  he  shall  bring  the  flood  of  his  indignation  and 
wrath  upon  the  despisers  of  God,  upon  them  who  walk  after  their 
own  pleasure  and  lust,  that  he  will  not  forget  his  Covenant,  but  will 
save  all  those  who  hope  in  his  mercy,  even  a  people  prepared  for 
his  glory.  Being  on  the  head  of  this  man,  is  to  show  that  God's 
Covenant,  mercy  and  everlasting  Love  towards  his  elect,  (which  the 
earth,  the  religious  people  abhor  and  revile,)  is  his  crown  of  glory 
and  rejoicing,  that  God  hath  covered  him  therewith,  and  in  remem- 
brance of  his  mercy  will  certainly  overshadow  and  preserve  him  in 
the  day  of  trouble. 

"  His  face  was  as  it  were  the  sun,"  signifies  that  he  comes  in  a 
greater  glory  than  the  glory  of  the  Law,  when  Moses'  face  did 
even  shine  with  that  glory :  this  man's  face  shines  with  the  bright- 
ness of  the  glory  of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness,  it  is  the  glory  of 
Christ  and  his  Righteousness  which  shines  as  the  sun,  and  makes 
the  faces  of  all  his  chosen  and  beloved  to  shine.     (2  Cor.  iii.  7.) 

^^  His  feet  as  pillars  of  fire,"  signifies  the  message  which  he  brings, 
his  preaching  of  the  Gospel  and  the  Truth  of  God  :  for  he  brings 
a  message  of  great  glad  tidings  to  God's  prisoners  and  disconsolate 
people,  who  are  in  bondage,  and  a  message  of  fear  and  terror  to  the 
enemies  of  God  which  shall  burn  them  up  like  fire :  they  are  called 
feet,  for  he  comes  not  in  chariot  or  on  horses,  in  the  strength  and 
parade  of  fleshly  glory,  but  as  a  plain  and  simple  messenger  of 
another,  that  is,  of  God,  not  as  a  warrior  doing  great  things,  but 
doing  nothing,  believing  and  trusting  all  to  God :  they  are  called 
"  pillars"  for  the  message  is  sure  and  certain  and  firm  and  esta- 
blished like  a  pillar :  ^^  of  fire,"  for  it  will  burn  up  the  chaflf  and 
stubble  of  wicked  lies  and  abominations. 

V.  2.  And  he  had  in  his  hand  a  little  book  open  ;  and  he  set  his  right  foot  upon 
the  sea,  and  his  left  foot  on  the  earth. 

This  book  is  the  little  book  ;  it  is  little,  for  it  comes  devoid  of 
15 


114  THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHKIST. 

earthly  honour,  applause  and  recommendation,  because  it  is  little  and 
despised  in  the  eyes  of  men:  it  is  called  open,  for  it  is  not  sealed;  it 
is  plain  and  open,  it  lays  open  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints, 
and  it  lays  open  the  word  and  prophecies  of  God,  which  have  been 
sealed  hitherto. 

The  sea  is  the  world,  and  the  earth  is  the  religious  world,  the 
professors  of  religion,  who  while  they  pretend  to  be  children  of  the 
most  High  God,  to  be  believers  in  Christ  and  consequently  in  heaven, 
"  sealed  together  icith  him  in  heavenly  places.,^''  (Eph.  ii.  6.)  yet  do 
mind  earthly  things  and  are  devoted  to  the  earth;  on  one  side  he 
preaches  and  testifies  against  the  world,  that  is,  the  sea,  against  its 
wisdom,  its  pride,  and  its  blasphemy  ;  and  on  the  other  side,  he  testi- 
fies against  the  religious  world,  (that  is,  the  earth,)  against  its  lying 
doctrines,  its  falsehood  and  deceitful  abominations  ;  this  testimony 
against  them  both,  is  setting  his  feet  upon  them. 

V.  3.  And  cried  witli  a  loud  voice,  as  when  a  lion  roareth  :  and  wlien  he  had' 
cried,  seven  thunders  uttered  tlieir  voices. 

To  cry  with  a  loud  voice,  signifies  the  testimony  he  has  borne  and 
uttered  against  the  religious  wickedness  of  this  Time :  it  is  called 
loud,  because  it  is  not  a  muttering,  doubtful  voice,  like  that  of  the 
false  prophets,  (Is.)  but  open  and  loud  :  as  trhen  a  lion  roareth,  because 
it  will  fill  with  terror  like  the  terrible  roaring  of  a  lion,  because  it  is 
not  he  that  speaks,  but  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  the  lion  of  the  tribe  of 
Judah  which  speaketh  in  him,  (Mark  xiii.  11,)  roaring  like  a  lion 
against  the  whole  multitude  of  shepherds.     (Isaiah.) 

"  When  he  had  cried:''''  this  first  took  place  after  he  understood 
this  Revelation  at  Norris  Town,  Penn.  in  the  court  house  of  that 
town,  before  a  large  multitude,  on  the  the  9th  March,  1834. 

V.  4.  And  when  the  seven  thunders  had  uttered  their  voices,  I  was  about  to 
write  :  and  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven  saying  unto  me,  Seal  up  those  things 
which  the  seven  thunders  uttered,  and  write  lliem  not. 

It  is  a  great  mercy  that  these  things  which  are  to  happen  are  con- 
cealed, so  that  the  people  of  God,  who  shall  believe  in  his  name,  are 
not  given  to  know  before  the  things  which  will  happen  to  them  ;  but 
let  them  know  that  they  are  uttered. 

V.  5,  6,  7.  And  the  angel  which  I  saw  stand  upon  the  sea  and  upon  the  earth, 
lifted  up  his  hand  to  heaven,  and  sware  by  him  that  liveth  for  ever  and  ever,  who 
created  heaven,  and  the  things  that  therein  are,  and  the  earth,  and  the  things  that 
tlierein  are,  and  the  sea,  and  tlie  tilings  which  are  therein,  that  there  should  be 
lime  no  longer  :  but  in  the  days  of  the  voice  of  the  seventh  angel,  when  he  shall 
begin  to  sound,  the  mystery  of  God  should  be  finished,  as  he  hath  declared  to  his 
servants  the  prophets. 

This  took  place  several  times  in  Philadelphia,  when  this  messenger 
had  not  any  idea  that  it  was  fulfilling  the  prophecy  and  word  of  God. 
On  the  Common  opposite  the  Globe  Mill  he  repeatedly  declared  in 
these  words,  "  as  the  Lord  God  liveth  who  made  heaven  and  earth, 
and  the  sea  and  all  that  therein  is,  so  surely  will  He  destroy  the 
wicked  religion  of  this  day,  shortly."  In  other  and  similar  words, 
he  repeatedly  swore  by  the  living  God,  to  the  effect  that  the  Religion 
of  this  time  would  soon  be  ended  or  destroyed.     Only  meaning,  as 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHKIST.  115 

lie  imagined  at  the  time,  to  express  iiis  certain  conviction  (of  which 
he  had  no  doubt  whatever)  that  the  religious  world  was  gone  a 
whoring  from  God,  and  that  God  would  soon  prove  it,  and  prove  the 
truth  of  the  doctrines  he  taught.  Little  did  he  imagine,  when  he 
thus  spoke,  that  it  was  not  him  but  the  Spirit  of  God  speaking  in 
him  ;  that  "  the  religion  of  this  day,"  "  the  wicked  abominations  of 
the  religious  teachers,"  terms  which  he  then  made  use  of,  signified 
this  Time,  and  that  one  of  the  most  wonderful  of  the  prophecies  of 
God  was  then  actually  fulfilled.  There  must  be  many  people  in  Phila- 
delphia who  heard  him  thus  speak,  and  that  often. 

The  religion,  the  abominations,  the  lies  and  blasphemies  and  false 
doctrines  called  by  the  name  of  "  Piety  and  Religion,"  which  he 
sware  by  the  living  God  should  be  no  longer,  these  are  the  "  Time," 
the  Abomination,  which  now  draws  near  to  an  end.  The  words, 
"  who  created  heaven  and  the  earth  and.  the  sea  and  the  things  therein,^''^ 
are  not  like  the  words  of  men,  rhetorical  flourishes  or  vain  expletives, 
but,  as  all  the  word  of  God,  are  full  of  significancy  ;  for  now,  at  this 
time,  both  the  sea  and  the  earth  unite  in  the  same  spii-it  of  Atheism, 
to  deny  that  it  is  God  loho  created  :  teaching  that  they  create  them- 
selves, and  calling  upon  fleshly  men  to  create  themselves  in  Christ 
Jesus,  telling  them  they  can  if  they  please,  and  upbraiding  them  for 
their  sluggishness. 

V.  8.  And  the  voice  which  I  heard  from  Iicaven  spake  unto  me  acfain,  and  said> 
Go  and  take  the  httle  book  wliich  is  open  in  tlie  hand  of  the  angel  whicii  slandeth 
upon  the  sea  and  upon  the  earth. 

This  voice  from  heaven  is  the  Spirit  of  God,  by  which  the  people 
of  God  will  be  directed  and  led  to  take  this  little  book,  for  no  one 
can  take  or  receive  it,  unless  directed  by  the  Spirit,  and  no  one  can 
receive  the  truth  but  the  Spirit  of  God.    (1  Cor.  ii.  11.) 

"  /  heard  •"  it  is  John,  the  beloved  disciple  who  speaks,  and  who 
is  directed  by  the  Spirit  to  receive  this  book :  the  due  time  is  now 
come  when  Christ  makes  it  first  to  be  understood  why  John  was 
called  the  beloved  disciple,  "  that  disciple  whom  Jesus  loved,''''  and 
what  was  signified  when  he  said  to  him  '■'■if  I  will  that  he  tai'ry 
till  I  come.''''  Christ  was  pleased  to  behold  and  to  represent  by  John, 
the  beloved  of  his  soul  to  whom  he  will  give  to  believe  in  Him  in  this 
last  day ;  John  was  a  representative  of  them  when  he  lay  in  Jesus' 
bosom  ;  as  their  representative  he  speaks  in  this  verse,  he  represents 
them  receiving  the  book,  and  eating  it  up,  they  are  those  who  shall 
tarry  till  the  glorious  appearing  of  Jesus  Christ,  "  till  he  come,'''' 
and  they  are  doubtless  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel,  to  whom 
God  will  give  repentance  and  an  inheritance  through  the  faith  of 
Jesus  Christ,  among  them  that  are  sanctified  through  faith.  They 
will  believe,  for  the  Spirit  of  God  will  lead  them  and  guide  them, 
and  say  "  Go  and  take,"  and  be  in  them,  giving  them  understand- 
ing. 

V.  9.  And  I  went  unto  the  angel,  and  said  unto  him,  Give  me  the  little  book' 
And  he  said  unto  me,  Take  it,  and  eat  it  up ;  and  it  shall  make  thy  belly  bitter,  but 
it  shall  be  in  thy  mouth  sweet  as  honey. 


11(>  THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

To  eat  up  the  little  book,  is  to  receive  with  the  appetite  of  want 
and  gladness  the  truth  of  God  which  it  contains,  the  same  manner  of 
expression  is  common  among  men  ;  he  who  delights  in  what  he  reads 
is  said  to  devour  it. 

"  It  shall  make  thy  belly  hitter  ;"  belly  signifies  the  earthly  man, 
the  flesh;  thus  David  says,  "?/?//  belly  cleaveth  to  the  dust.''''  They 
who  receive  the  truth,  the  doctrine  of  Christ,  will  find  it  bitter  indeed 
to  the  flesh  ;  they  will  sufler  hatred  and  scorn  and  contempt,  they 
will  be  hated  of  all  the  world  :  Jesus  Christ,  in  the  days  of  his  bitter 
humiliation,  had  not  where  to  lay  his  head,  and  his  people  will  be 
partakers  of  his  sufferings  ;  honour,  fortune,  fame,  respectability, 
reputation,  and  the  praise  of  men,  are  not  to  be  expected  or  sought 
after  by  them.  But,  bitter  as  the  doctrine  of  Christ  will  be  to  the 
flesh,  great  suflering  that  it  will  expose  them  to  who  believe,  it  will 
be  sweeter  than  honey  to  the  mouth,  to  the  spiritual  man ;  yea,  for 
ever  sweet,  enduring  and  increasing  for  ever,  rendering  all  the  suffer- 
ings of  the  ffesh  as  nothing,  knowing  that  we  are  suffering  with 
Christ,  and  that  the  life  from  which  it  pains  us  so  much  to  part  is 
very  death,  and  that  our  profit  and  joy  is  to  die  daily,  waiting  for  the 
redemption  from  this  vile  body. 

V.  10.  And  I  took  the  little  book  out  of  the  angel's  hand,  and  ate  it  up :  and  it 
was  in  my  mouth  sweet  as  honey  ;  and  as  soon  as  I  had  eaten  it,  my  belly  was 
bitter. 

The  beloved  disciple,  he  whom  Jesus  loved,  took  the  book,  and  eat 
it  up.  It  is  certain  that  he  whom  Jesus  loves  in  these  last  days,  will 
take  and  devour  with  joy  and  gladness  the  truth  of  the  Gospel  of  the 
Grace  of  God,  made  open  in  this  little  book.  And  it  is  certain  that 
so  soon  as  they  shall  receive  the  truth  of  Christ  and  submit  them- 
selves to  God,  altogether,  (which  is  eating  up  his  doctrine,)  so  soon 
they  will  find  his  doctrine  bitter  to  the  belly,  to  the  earthly  man. 

V.  11.  And  he  said  unto  me,  Thou  must  prophesy  again  before  many  peoples, 
and  nations,  and  tongues,  and  kings. 

The  saints  and  people  of  God  must  prophecy  again.  "  This  Gos- 
pel must  be  preached  in  all  the  world,  then  cometh  theend.^''  (Mat.  24.) 
They  have  long  been  silenced  and  silent,  or  only  prophesied  in  sack- 
cloth in  all  the  time  of  the  Beast ;  but  now  again  (that  is,  once  more, 
after  so  long  an  interval)  the  glorious  Gospel  of  Christ,  who  is  the 
image  of  God,  will  be  preached  in  all  the  world  by  the  saints  and 
servants  of  God,  upon  whom  he  will  pour  out  abundantly  of  his  holy 
Spirit,  before  many  people  and  nations,  and  tongues  and  kings. 

CHAPTER  XI. 

A  more  particular  revelation  of  the  state  to  which  the  earth  (the 
professing  world)  would  at  last  come,  (which  is  now  its  actual  condi- 
tion,) is  given  in  this  chapter ;  also,  how  it  will  end  is  revealed ; 
the  whole  is  preceded  by  a  brief  recapitulation  of  the  state  of  things 
in  all  the  time  of  the  falling  away,  until  the  present  time. 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  117 

V.  1,  2.  And  there  was  given  rae  a  reed  like  unto  a  rod  ;  and  the  an^el  stood, 
saying,  Rise,  and  measure  the  temple  of  God,  and  the  altar,  and  them  that  worship 
therein.  But  the  court  which  is  without  the  temple,  leave  out,  and  measure  it  not; 
for  it  is  given  unto  the  Gentiles  :  and  the  holy  city  shall  they  tread  under  foot 
forty  and  two  montiis. 

Here  it  is  shown  that  God  has  an  inner  temple  of  spiritual  wor- 
shippers, and  that  there  is  also  an  outer,  an  exterior  fleshly  temple 
of  earthly,  sensual  and  fleshly  worshippers;  these  latter  (the  earth) 
are  not  counted  when  God  counts  up  his  jewels,  they  are  not  mea- 
sured when  he  takes  the  account  of  them  that  serve  him.  It  is  also 
here  shown  that  for  the  space  of  1260  years  the  Gentiles  have  been 
earthly,  outside  worshippers,  and  power  has  been  given  them  over 
the  holy  city,  and  during  all  the  time  of  1260  years  they  have  trod- 
den it  under  foot :  that  is,  God's  chosen  and  elect  people  are  collec- 
tively, in  a  body,  the  holy  city,  or  Jerusalem,  while  also  the  collected 
body  of  false  and  earthly  worshippers  is  called  a  city,  viz.  Babylon, 
or  Sodom  and  Egypt.  The  holy  city  here  spoken  of,  signifies  the 
people  of  God  collectively,  and  this  is  manifest,  because  if  the  mate- 
rial city  of  Jerusalem  had  been  signified,  then  the  1260  years  would 
have  been  completed  nearly  six  hundred  years  ago,  for  Jerusalem 
after  the  flesh,  the  material  city  of  bricks  and  stone,  began  to  be 
subjugated  to  the  Gentiles  shortly  after  the  death  of  Christ.  This 
holy  city  is  therefore  the  collection  of  God's  spiritual  people,  and 
for  the  space  of  1260  years  the  false  worshippers  of  the  beast  have 
overcome  and  trodden  them  under  foot,  and  have  prospered  against 
them,  as  Daniel  prophesied. 

V.  3  to  6.  And  I  will  give  power  unto  my  two  witnesses,  and  they  shall  pro- 
phesy a  thousand  two  hundred  and  threescore  days,  clothed  in  sackcloth.  These 
are  the  two  olive  trees,  and  the  two  candlesticks  standing  before  the  God  of  the 
earth.  And  if  any  man  will  hurl  them,  fire  proceedeth  out  of  their  mouth,  and 
devoureth  their  enemies;  and  if  any  man  will  hurt  them,  he  must  in  this  manner 
be  killed.  These  have  power  to  shut  heaven,  that  it  rain  not  in  the  days  of  their 
prophecy  :  and  have  power  over  waters  to  turn  them  to  blood,  and  to  smite  the 
earth  with  all  plagues,  as  often  as  they  will. 

In  these  verses  it  is  shown  what  has  been  the  spiritual  light  granted 
to  the  people  of  God  in  this  long  time  of  darkness,  previous  to  the 
present  triumph  of  the  beast.  The  two  witnesses  are  the  Law  and  the 
Gospel  of  God,  by  the  former  of  which  God  has  testified  to  men  of 
righteousness  and  judgment,  declaring  his  wrath  against  every  kind 
of  wickedness  and  wrong-doing  :  by  the  latter  mercy  and  truth  and 
life  and  salvation  are  testified  of.  During  the  1260  years  these  two 
witnesses  of  God  to  man,  have  prophesied  in  sackcloth,  as  it  is  here 
again  repeated,  for  1260  years  :  that  is,  neither  the  Law  nor  the 
Gospel  have  been  preached  in  the  fulness  of  their  power  and  glory 
in  the  earth  during  all  this  time ;  and  also  when  they  have  been 
preached,  they  have  been  together,  the  Law  has  been  joined  to  and 
mixed  up  with  the  Gospel,  thus  taking  away  from  the  excellence 
and  power  of  both  of  them ;  for  no  righteousness  comes  by  the  law, 
it  is  intended  for  those  who  are  disobedient  and  rebellious,  who  do 
wrong ;  to  teach,  warn  and  reprove,  and  to  punish,  curb  and  restrain 
them  ;  while  the  Gospel  is  for  them  only  who  believe,  who  are  no 


118  THE  RFA'ELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

longer  disobedient,  to  edify  and  strengthen  them  in  Him,  in  whom 

alone  they  have  life  and  righteousness  without  the  law. 

Nevertheless,  in  all  this  period,  no  attacks  of  the  sea,  no  power  of 
wicked  men,  has  been  able  to  hurt  them  until  now  ;  fire  has  proceed- 
ed out  of  their  mouths  and  destroyed  their  enemies  ;  that  is,  the 
judgments  of  God  have  fallen  like  fire  from  heaven  upon  those  who 
have  attacked  and  denied  these  witnesses  of  God.  Numerous  in- 
stances of  this  are  upon  record,  where  men  who  have  blasphemously 
denied  and  reviled  the  truth  of  God,  have  perished  miserably  by  the 
manifest  judgment  of  God.* 

Also,  during  all  the  time  of  the  falling  away  heaven  has  been  shut 
and  there  has  been  no  rain  upon  the  earth  (the  religious  world) :  that 
is,  the  Spirit  of  God  (which  alone,  like  rain  on  the  material  earth, 
makes  them  who  believe  to  be  fruitful  in  good  works)  has  not  been 
poured  out  upon  God's  people  who  were  on  the  earth,  as  it  was 
before  the  falling  away,  during  the  week  of  700  years  when  God 
confirmed  his  Covenant  with  many  :  the  waters  of  life  have  been 
converted  to  blood,  that  is,  have  only  been  received  and  understood 
in  a  fleshly  way,  and  men  have  been  plagued  and  smitten  with 
plagues  of  serpents  and  scorpions  biting  and  tormenting  them,  and 
this  has  been  by  the  judgment  of  God's  Law  and  Gospel,  his  two 
holy  witnesses  which  have  been  united  together  in  one,  and  brought 
judgments  upon  men  because  of  their  evil  and  because  of  the  abomi- 
nation. 

V.  7.  And  when  they  shall  have  finished  their  testimony,  the  beast  that  ascend- 
eth  out  of  the  bottomless  pit  shall  make  war  against  them,  and  shall  overcome 
them,  and  kill  them. 

This  is  now  in  this  day  fulfilled  :  they  have  finished  their  testi- 
mony ;  the  beast  that  ascendeth  out  of  the  deep  or  bottomless  pit, 
out  of  the  earth,  has  made  war  against  them,  has  overcome  them 
and  killed  them.  The  beast  is  the  flesh,  fleshly  man  and  his  doctrine; 
it  is  called  a  scarlet  beast,  because  his  sins  are  as  scarlet:  he  is 
called  sinful  man,  or  the  man  of  sin,  the  wicked  one,  the  son  of 
perdition  ;  he  is  now  exalted,  "  sittin!>-  in  the  temple  of  God,  showing 
that  he  is  God.''''  (2  Thess.  ii.  4.)  There  he  sits,  exalted  ;  he  is  the 
abomination,  his  offering  is  the  swine-flesh  oflfering,  he  is  now  "stand- 
ing where  it  ought  not,  (^let  him  that  readeth  understand.y  (Mark 
xiii.  14.)  He  is  exalted  above  Him  whom  nevertheless  in  all  the 
deceivableness  of  unrighteousness  they  call  God,  though  they  exalt 
themselves  above  Him.  This  beast  is  worshipped,  for  they  say  he 
can  save,  and  they  call  upon  him  to  save,  that  is,  to  do  good,  to  work 
righteousness,  which  he  who  doeth  is  a  saviour,  for  he  cannot  but 
save  himself  if  he  does  it.  The  religion  of  this  day,  this  Time, 
(which  shall  be  no  longer,)  is  the  exaltation  and  worship  of  sinful 
man  :  he  is  exalted  high  in  the  chariot  of  his  pride,  in  his  own  fleshly 

*  Such  a  case  occurred  lately  in  the  city  of  New  York  ;  one  Cohen,  on  the 
same  day  on  which  he  had  published  a  manifesto  of  Atheism  in  a  publication  called 
the  Free  Enquirer,  was  blown  to  pieces  and  his  body  scattered  abroad  in  fragments 
by  a  combustible  preparation  of  his  own  workmanship.  This  was  the  fire  of  God's 
law  falling  down  from  heaven  upon  him. 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  119 

excellence  and  works :  all  the  toil  and  labour  and  zeal  of  the  priests 
of  this  god,  is  to  make  this  beast  more  ;  they  cry  aloud  and  shout 
and  weary  themselves  in  calling  upon  him  to  be  up  and  to  be  doing, 
to  show  his  power,  his  goodness,  his  piety  and  his  humility,  to  do 
good,  to  be  good.  This  man  of  sin,  this  son  of  perdition,  stained 
and  dyed  in  sins,  as  scarlet  is  dyed,  is  iniquity  itself;  "  his  inward 
part  is  very  wicked,''^  saith  the  prophet  David  ;  "  the  invard  part,^' 
for  externally  he  appeareth  like  a  iamb,  as  an  angel  of  light ;  this  is 
the  Iniquity  which  they  are  engaged  this  day  in  "  drawing  with  cords 
of  vanity,^''  with  means  and  helps  which  are  vain.  (Isaiah.)  They 
labour  to  make  it  move  with  main  force,  and  when  it  moves  in  its 
wicked  self-righteous  career,  which  they  deem  to  be  righteousness^ 
then  they  raise  shouts  of  triumph  and  talk  of  and  spread  abroad  the 
anecdotes  of  the  pious  doings  of  the  idol. 

The  beast  has  killed  both  the  Law  and  the  Gospel  of  God,  (which 
till  this  day  did  prophesy,  though  in  sackcloth,)  by  setting  up  its  own 
precepts  and  ordinances  and  experiences,  and  all  sorts  of  religious 
inventions,  instead  of  the  plain  and  simple  Law  and  Truth  of  God. 
Instead  of  the  law  of  God,  to  do  good,  not  to  God,  but  to  one  another 
and  to  all  men,  to  show  kindness  to  the  stranger,  the  fatherless  and 
widow,  to  draw  out  their  bread  to  the  hungry  and  to  do  mercy  and 
love  justice,  not  to  lend  out  their  money  upon  usury,  nor  speak 
deceitfully,  instead  of  the  kindness  and  good  actions  ol"  man  to  man 
which  the  law  of  God  teaches,  they  teach  to  belong  to  a  church  and 
confederacy,  to  subscribe  money  to  their  societies,  to  have  certain 
abstinences,  to  keep  a  particular  day  in  the  Aveek  ;  thus  they  have 
set  aside  the  law,  and  every  violation  of  it  is  righteous  and  of  no 
consequence  in  their  eyes,  provided  their  own  inventions  are  zeal- 
ously attended  to.  They  have  killed  this  witness,  they  regard  it  no 
longer,  it  is  a  dead  letter  to  them,  they  only  regard  their  own  flexi- 
ble and  undefined  code  of  piety.  They  have  also  overcome  and  slain 
the  other  witness  of  God,  the  Gospel,  by  preaching  their  own  works, 
(which  they  call  means  and  grace,)  and  instead  of  the  Power  of  God, 
preaching  the  power  of  man,  thus  exalting  him  above  Christ.  In- 
stead of  confessing  that  God  only  is  the  Creator,  they  preach  that 
man  is ;  that  he,  if  he  only  pleases,  makes  himself  to  be  a  child  of 
God.  Thus  they,  that  is,  collectively,  the  beast,  and  it  is  only  the 
Protestant  beast  which  is  here  spoken  of,  have  killed  the  two  wit- 
nesses, the  Law  and  the  Gospel,  and  preach  and  regard  and  believe 
not,  neither  the  one  nor  the  other.  All  they  care  for,  all  they  re- 
gard, is  the  idol,  the  beast  which  they  have  exalted  ;  its  piety,  its 
goodness,  its  excellence,  is  what  they  wish  to  see  prosper  and  pre- 
vail, and  they  labour  hard  to  this  end,  and  dream  that  thus  they 
please  God  !  This  man  of  sin  dictates  what  he  pleases,  both  for  law 
and  gospel,  selecting  what  suits  him  in  the  Scriptures  and  adapting 
it  to  his  own  pleasure  and  doctrines,  and  rejecting  what  suits  him 
not.* 

*  A  late  prophet  of  God,  (Dr.  Hawker,)  whose  testimony  greatly  tormented  them 
that  dwelt  upon  the  earth,  spake  by  the  Spirit  of  God  when  he  called  this  genera- 
tion "  a  Christ-despising  generation.'" 


120  THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

What  the  beast  is  and  whence  he  has  sprung,  who  has  thus  killed 
these  two  witnesses  of  God,  is  particularly  revealed.  It  is  not  the 
beast  which  arose  out  of  the  sea,  but  the  beast  which  was  seen 
rising  out  of  the  earth,  the  beast  which  has  been  set  up  and  exalted 
by  religious  men,  professors,  men  of  earthly  religion ;  it  is  the  beast 
whom  the  churches  of  earthly  men  have  set  up  and  exalted  ;  harlot 
churches  (a  deep  or  bottomless  pit  into  which  men  fall  inextricably) ; 
it  is  the  beast  which  their  wicked  doctrines  have  raised  to  this  wicked 
exaltation.  This  beast  which  has  sprung  from  such  a  deep  pit,  the 
offspring  of  religious  wickedness,  is  the  beast  which  has  triumphed 
and  slain  the  witnesses.  "  The  beast  that  ascendcth  out  of  the  bot- 
tomless j)it  shall  make  war  against  tltem  and  overcome  them.^'' 

There  are  only  two  beasts  ;  the  first,  which  is  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church,  which  beast  ascendeth  out  of  the  sea ;  the  second,  which 
are  the  Protestant  churches ;  which  is  the  beast  which  ascendeth 
out  of  the  pit  of  the  earth,  out  of  the  religious  whoredoms  of  the 
earth,  that  is,  men  of  the  earth.  It  is  only  the  last  of  these  two 
beasts  which  makes  war  against  the  true  doctrines  of  God,  his  two 
witnesses  ;  resisting,  opposing,  setting  them  aside,  and  making  them 
of  no  effect,  that  is,  killing  them  by  their  own  doctrines  and  tradi- 
tions ;  the  first  beast  does  not  meddle  with  the  two  witnesses,  it  has 
buried  them  both  long  ago,  and  will  not  sutler  their  bodies  to  be 
brought  out  and  to  be  seen,  that  is,  to  be  read  by  the  people. 

V.  8.  And  their  dead  bodies  sliall  lie  in  the  street  of  the  great  city,  which 
spiritually  is  called  Sodom  and  Egypt,  where  also  oar  Lord  was  crucified. 

A  city  is  a  collection  of  souls  ;  as  the  city  of  Jerusalem  is  the 
whole  collection  of  God's  people,  so  the  city  called  Sodom  and  Egypt, 
is  collectively  the  multitude  of  religious  professors  among  the  Pro- 
testants who  assume  to  be  the  city  of  God,  whereas  they  are  a  city 
of  their  own  building,  built  on  the  foundation  of  man.  The  Romish 
Church  is  called  Babylon,  it  is  one  and  compact ;  these  are  called 
Sodom  and  Egypt. 

Their  dead  bodies  are  Bibles :  the  bible  contains  the  letter  of  the 
truth  of  God,  viz.  the  law  and  the  gospel,  which  are  the  only  two 
witnesses  by  which  God  has  ever  testified  to  mankind.  Without  the 
Spirit  of  God,  the  Scripture  is  a  dead  letter  without  life  ;  it  is  a  dead 
body,  a  mere  body  in  which  there  is  no  spirit  of  life.  Both  these 
witnesses  are  now  killed,  because  the  Earth  has  made  the  word  of 
God  to  be  a  dead  letter ;  it  has  no  real  authority  with  them,  they 
wrest  and  pervert  its  words.  Now,  though  they  have  effectually 
killed  the  two  witnesses,  yet  they  have  got  their  dead  bodies  in  the 
street  of  their  city  ;  they  lie  in  the  street,  they  are  made  a  common 
thing.  In  all  the  different  ramifications  and  sects  of  this  great 
spiritual  Sodom,  they  have  the  dead  bodies,  that  is,  bibles,  there 
they  lie. 

This  city  is  the  very  same  in  spirit  and  in  deeds  and  in  professions 
as  that  city  of  the  wicked,  (the  Scribes  and  the  Pharisees,)  where 
also,  as  well  as  here,  our  Lord  was  crucified :  for  now,  in  this  day 
and  by  this  generation  he  is  crucified  afresh.     It  is  the  same  genera- 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  121 

tion,  in  spirit  and  conduct,  which  was  not  to  pass  away  till  all  be 
fulfilled,  (Matt.  24,  last  v.)  but  now  the  time  is  at  hand. 

V.  9, 10.  And  they  of  the  people,  and  kindreds,  and  tonjfues,  and  nations,  shall 
see  their  dead  bodies  three  days  and  a  half,  and  shall  not  suffer  their  dead  bodies 
to  be  put  in  graves.  And  they  that  dwell  upon  the  earth  shall  rejoice  over  them, 
and  make  merry,  and  shall  send  g^ifts  one  to  another ;  because  these  two  prophets 
tormented  them  tliat  dwelt  on  the  earth. 

Three  days  and  a  half  signifies  the  precise  time  which  shall  be 
permitted  to  this  generation  to  triumph  in  their  deeds  of  religious 
whoredom,  while  in  this  time  the  two  witnesses  are  dead  and  silent. 
The  former  triumph  lasted  three  days ;  but  then  the  body  of  our 
Lord  was  put  in  a  grave ;  it  is  not  so  now,  however ;  for  they  do 
not  put  the  dead  bodies  of  the  two  witnesses  away  and  out  of  sight, 
far  from  it,  they  would  not  sutler  this  on  any  account,  for  they 
pretend  that  instead  of  having  killed  them,  they  honour  and  obey 
them,  therefore  they  parade  the  dead  bodies  (the  bible)  all  about, 
and  make  a  great  show  of  them.  Much  better  for  them  would  it  be 
if  they  had  not  these  dead  bodies,  if  they  were  put  in  graves,  (as  the 
Roman  Catholics  have  done,)  buried  far  out  of  sight,  than  that  they 
should  add  deceit  to  wickedness  and  pretend  to  love  the  word  of  God 
while  they  kill  it  and  trample  it  under  foot. 

But  now  they  triumph  in  their  deeds,  and  talk  of  the  Millennium, 
as  if  they  had  already  made  a  beginning  of  it !  They  are  not  now 
as  formerly  tormented  in  their  triumph  by  even  the  sound  of  a 
whisper  of  God's  truth  in  the  land.  Before  the  two  witnesses  had 
finished  their  conjoined  testimony,  before  truth  was  perished  out  of 
the  earth,  every  now  and  then  there  arose  some  solitary  prophet  who 
preached  the  Righteousness  of  God,  his  work  and  election  of  Grace, 
and  the  utter  beastliness  and  filthiness  of  the  rags  of  human  piety 
and  righteousness ;  this  vexed  and  greatly  tormented  "  them  that 
dwelt  upon  the  earth,^""  the  earthly  followers  and  professors  of  earthly 
wisdom  and  righteousness :  but  now  they  rejoice  and  make  merry 
and  triumph,  and  send  gifts  to  one  another ;  they  have  societies  or 
confederacies  organised  for  the  very  purpose  of  sending  gifts  to  one 
another,  gifts  of  money  and  tracts  and  "  good  books"  and  dead 
bodies. 

V.  11.  And  after  three  days  and  a  half  the  Spirit  of  life  from  God  entered  into 
them,  and  they  stood  upon  tlieir  feet ;  and  great  fear  fell  upon  them  which  saw 
them. 

At  the  expiration  of  the  time  appointed  to  their  triumph,  the  truth 
of  God,  in  his  Law  and  in  his  Gospel  will  be  heard,  declared  in  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  This  is  what  is  signified  when  it  is  said 
the  two  witnesses  will  stand  upon  their  feet ;  that  is,  the  truth  of 
God,  witnessed  by  these  two,  will  be  preached :  the  Spirit  of  God 
will  raise  up  whom  he  pleases  to  speak  the  truth  of  God,  this  is  what 
is  signified  by  the  spirit  of  life  from  God  entering  into  them.  Great 
fear  will  fall  upon  them  who  see  this ;  for  whereas,  even  before,  the 
truth  of  God  tormented  them  and  they  never  could  endure  it ;  now 
in  the  midst  of  their  triumph,  when  they  think  such  doctrines  are 
crushed  for  ever,  to  see  them  suddenly  revive  with  power,  even  with 
16 


122  THK  KEVELATION   OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

the  power  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  will  cause  great  fear  to  fall  upon 
them,  such  a  fear  as  fell  upon  Belshazzar  when  the  hand  writing 
appeared  upon  the  wall ;  for  they  are  the  same  Belshazzar,  they  arc 
making  merry  and  rejoicing  in  their  hearts,  and  they  use  the  holy 
things  out  of  God's  temple,  they  make  use  of  the  very  words  of  God 
in  their  abominations  and  when  they  offer  swine's  flesh  upon  his  altar. 
Yea,  they  will  fear,  for  the  time  is  at  hand. 

V.  12.  And  they  heard  a  great  voice  from  heaven,  saying  unto  them,  Come  up 
hither.  And  tliey  ascended  up  to  heaven  in  a  cloud ;  and  their  enemies  beheld 
them. 

They  heard  a  great  voice  from  heaven  ;  they  heard,  that  is,  he 
who  preaclied  or  proclaimed  them,  heard  the  voice,  for,  when  it  was 
before  said  they  prophesied  in  sackcloth  for  1260  years,  it  signified 
that  the  truth  of  the  Law  and  of  the  Gospel  was  preached  by  men ; 
so  here  it  is  revealed  that  some  one  of  God's  children  by  whom  the 
Gospel  shall  be  preached  in  the  power  of  the  Spirit,  shall  be  trans- 
lated and  taken  up  to  heaven  in  the  sight  of  the  deceitful  and  false 
worshippers,  as  Enoch  was,  and  as  Elijah  was.  The  great  voice  is 
the  voice  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  son  of  God,  which  voice  is  the  Power 
of  God,  which  created  all  things  when  it  spoke,  and  which  will  raise 
the  dead,  for  as  David  testifies,  "  the  voice  of  the  Lord  is  mighty^ 
The  enemies  of  God's  truth,  the  opposers  of  his  doctrine  will  be- 
hold it.* 

V.  13.  And  the  same  hour  was  there  a  great  earthquake,  and  the  tenth  part  of 
the  city  fell,  and  in  the  earthquake  were  slain  of  men  seven  thousand  :  and  the 
remnant  were  atTrighted,  and  gave  glory  to  the  God  of  heaven. 

*  There  is  a  wonderful  resemblance  between  the  present  day,  and  the  day  of 
that  Elijah  wh»  lived  in  the  days  of  Ahab.  Then  all  Israel  had  departed  from  Ood, 
and  was  abandoned  to  the  worship  of  beasts.  So  it  is  now.  Then  no  doubt  as 
now,  they  were  positive  that  they  worshipped  God,  and  pleased  him  :  no  doubt 
they  were  firmly  convinced  tliat  a  noisy,  bustling,  showy  religion,  and  the  per- 
formance of  services  and  duties  of  man's  invention,  would  make  depraved  creatures 
pleasing  to  God,  and  would  please  him  much  more  than  simply  obeying  and  taking 
heed  to  his  holy  law,  which  sim[)ly  teaches  men  to  do  good  to  one  another,  (not  to 
God,)  thereby  showing  indeed  that  they  loved  God.  They  thought  no  doubt  that 
evil  deeds  and  covetousness  signified  very  little  and  would  be  passed  over,  provided 
they  were  very  religions,  not  knowing  tliat  tiiere  is  no  other  real  religion  or  wor- 
shipping but  the  showing  kindness  and  doing  mercy  to  all  men.  ((ial.  v.  14:  James 
i.  27.)  Then,  as  also  now,  there  were  many  zealous  devoted  priests,  but  Elijah  was 
the  only  one  who  preached  the  truth  of  (iod.  Then,  it  rained  not  on  the  earth  for 
the  space  of  three  years  and  six  months,  and  this  was  because  of  the  prayer  of 
Elijah  :  and  now  also,  at  the  prayer  of  the  saints  (on  the  opening  of  the  tifth  seal, 
oh.  6)  it  has  not  rained  upon  the  earth  for  12G0  years;  that  is,  the  Holy  Ghost  has 
not  been  poured  out  upon  believers,  they  have  been  scaled.  And  furthermore,  that 
we  may  not  doubt  the  truth  as  to  this  time,  but  that  we  may  understand  by  the 
instruction  of  that  time,  there  are  exactly  42  months,  that  is,  12G0  days  in  the  three 
years  and  six  months,  when  then  it  rained  not,  showing  indubitably  that  those 
things  "  happened  for  our  ensample  upon  whom  the  ends  of  the  world  are  come." 
Also  then,  as  now,  God's  i)ower  and  truth  was  manifested,  and  the  dcceivings  of  the 
false  prophets  utterly  exposed,  and  then,  as  now  it  will  be,  the  false  teachers  were 
destroyed;  then,  as  now,  .lezebel,  the  painted  scducting  harlot  (a  figure  of  the  har- 
lotry of  human  righteousness  and  piety)  was  predominant :  and  also  then  as  it  w  ill 
again  be  in  this  day,  the  Elijah  of  that  day  was  taken  up  into  heaven. 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  123 

Whoever  this  be,  he  will  know  that  it  is  not  for  his  own  sake,  or 
for  his  holiness  that  God  doeth  this  ;  far,  far  from  it,  but  for  the  elect's 
sake,  for  his  people's  sake,  that  they  may  understand  and  believe : 
for,  immediately  upon  the  happening  of  this  thing,  '■Hn  the  same  hour" 
there  will  take  place  a  great  shaking,  commotion  or  alteration  in  the 
religious  world,  this  is  revealed  by  the  words  "  there  ivas  a  great 
earthquake,''''  and  a  great  part,  a  tenth,  of  the  spiritual  city  of  Sodom 
and  Egypt  will  fall,  they  will  come  out  from  among  the  earthly 
worshippers,  and  hear  and  believe  :  others,  to  the  amount  of  seven 
thousand,  though  they  will  not  believe,  will  be  slain,  that  is,  all  their 
former  confidence  will  perish,  their  consciences  will  be  awaked  and 
smitten,  and  thus  they  will  be  slain ;  and  the  rest  will  be  affrighted 
and  give  glory  to  the  God  of  heaven,  though  they  will  neither  believe 
nor  be  slain. 

V.  14.    The  second  wo  is  past,  and,  behold,  the  third  wo  cometh  quickly. 

The  third  wo  cometh  quickly ;  there  will  yet  be  an  interval  of 
some  time  before  the  kingdom  of  Christ  will  begin  upon  the  earth, 
before  that  will  take  place  for  which  God's  people  have. been  taught 
to  pray,  viz.  "  thy  kingdom  come.''''  The  rule  and  dominion  of  the 
beast,  of  the  doctrine  that  man  can  please  God  and  ascend  into  heaven 
by  his  own  piety  and  exertions,  will  still  continue,  and  men  will  still 
be  seduced  by  the  all-deceivableness  of  unrighteousness  to  trust  in 
the  arm  of  flesh  and  not  to  trust  in  God  only. 

V.  15,  adfinem.  And  the  seventh  angel  sounded  :  and  there  were  great  voices 
in  heaven,  saying,  The  kingdoms  of  this  world  are  become  the  kingdoms  of  our 
Lord,  and  of  his  Christ ;  and  he  shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever. 

The  Time  of  the  beast  is  now  finished.  Now  begins  the  reign  of 
Righteousness,  even  of  Christ,  of  truth  and  blessedness  upon  the 
earth.  God  will  now  take  to  himself  his  great  power,  now  the 
Temple  of  God  is  opened  in  heaven. 

In  these  verses  the  events  which  will  happen  when  the  seventh 
Angel  sounds  are  summarily  revealed ;  they  do  not  however  come  to 
pass  all  at  once  and  together ;  but  here  a  brief  summary  of  them  is 
given,  and  afterwards  the  particulars  are  revealed  more  fully  and  the 
order  in  which  all  these  things  will  be  fulfilled.  In  the  meanwhile, 
a  short  pause  and  interruption  is  made,  to  reveal  yet  more  fully  and 
in  a  separate  chapter  the  things  relating  to  the  two  beasts  and  their 
time,  and  to  give  again  a  general  summary  of  the  whole,  from  the 
period  when  Christ  was  glorified  to  the  present  day. 

CHAPTER  XII. 

The  things  which  will  come  to  pass  while  the  seventh  angel  sounds, 
are  resumed  in  the  14th  chapter ;  in  the  mean  time  a  most  minute 
revelation  is  made  in  the  l'3th  chapter  of  the  rise,  and  also  of  the 
character  of  that  false  and  abominable  System  of  Antichrist,  of  that 
Christianity  or  that  counterfeit  Christianity,  which  in  various  guise 
was  to  have  power  to  continue  for  1260  years,  that  is,  42  months. 
These   religious   earthly   systems   of  earthly   men,   always   bitter 


124  THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST* 

opposers  of  the  offensive  doctrine  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  are  now 
fully  described  under  the  name  and  figure  of  a  beast.  The  whole  is 
preceded  in  this  12th  chapter  by  a  summary  of  what  has  been  before 
revealed ;  and  this  being  given  in  another  form,  yet  perfectly  agrees 
with  and  establishes  the  whole,  confirming  it  by  constant  repetition. 

V.  1,  2.  And  there  appeared  a  great  wonder  in  heaven ;  a  woman  clothed  with 
the  sun,  and  the  moon  under  lier  feet,  and  upon  her  head  a  crown  of  twelve  stars: 
And  she  being  with  child,  cried,  travailing  in  birth,  and  pained  to  be  delivered. 

The  two  Covenants  are  spoken  of  in  the  Scriptures  under  the 
similitude  of  women,  the  one,  the  covenant  of  Mount  Sinai,  is  called 
a  bondman,  the  other  is  called  a  free  woman.  The  Apostle  speaking 
of  the  Everlasting  Covenant,  which  was  four  hundred  and  thirty 
years  before  the  Law,  says  "  Jervsalem  above  vs  is  free,  who  is  the 
mother  of  us  ally  This  is  the  woman  here  seen.  They  who  believe 
are  the  children  of  the  free  woman,  or  the  children  of  promise,  and 
they  are  the  whole  body  of  Christ ;  each  individual  being  only  a 
member  of  that  one  body  ;  this  whole  body  is  the  n)an-child  which 
will  reign  on  the  earth.  But  they  who  are  under  the  law  are  the 
children  of  the  bond  woman. 

Until  the  suffering  of  Christ  and  the  glory  which  followed,  the 
free  woman  had  been  barren,  but  the  other  had  had  many  children ; 
but  when  Christ  was  glorified,  then  were  fulfilled  the  words  of  the 
prophet,  "  Rejoice  thou  barren  that  bearesf  not,  break  forth  and  cry 
thou  that  travaileth  not,  for  the  desolate  hath  many  more  children 
than  she  which  hath  a  husband.''^  This  is  the  wonder  which  now 
appeared ;  it  appeared  immediately  after  the  resurrection  of  Jesus 
Christ  from  the  dead,  and  this  wonder  was  seen  for  a  week  of  seven 
hundred  years  ;  for,  during  that  time  God  confirmed  the  covenant 
with  many,  as  the  prophet  Daniel  has  written.  Then  first,  after 
Christ  was  glorified,  the  church  was  beheld  in  heaven,  having  access 
into  the  presence  of  God  by  Him,  then  were  they  clothed  with  the 
Sun,  clothed  in  the  bright  and  glorious  righteousness  of  the  Sun  of 
Righteousness,  even  Jesus  Christ ;  then  were  they  delivered  from 
fear  and  all  condemnation,  for  the  Law  (that  is,  the  Moon,  the  light 
which  rules  by  night)  was  under  their  feet.  Now  were  children 
born  to  the  free  woman,  "  she  being  icith  child  cried." 

V.  3,4.  And  there  appeared  another  wonder  in  heaven  ;  and  behold,  a  great  red 
dragon,  having  seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  and  seven  crowns  upon  his  heads.  And 
his  tail  drew  the  third  part  of  the  stars  of  heaven,  and  did  cast  them  to  the  earth  : 
and  the  dragon  stood  before  the  woman  wliich  was  ready  to  be  delivered,  for  to  de- 
vour her  child  as  soon  as  it  was  born. 

Here  again  is  repeated  that  which  has  before  been  revealed  in  the 
preceding  chapters  ;  namely,  the  rise  of  the  beast  "  having  seven 
heads  and  ten  horns,"  for  now  in  the  time  of  the  church  of  Perga- 
mos,  Satan,  the  dragon,  appeared  with  the  abominations  of  false  and 
lying  doctrines,  in  heaven,  that  is,  in  the  midst  of  the  church  of  God, 
seducing  by  his  preaching,  (that  is,  his  tail  drew,)  them  who  had 
the  truth  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  who  are  called  the  stars  of 
heaven. 

"  His  tail  drew  the  third  part  of  the  stars  of  heaven  and  did  cast 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JESITS  CHRIST.  125 

thevi  to  the  earth."  Here  again  is  repeated  the  falling  away  revealed 
before  at  the  opening  of  the  sixth  seal  in  the  6th  chapter  ;  they  fell 
to  the  earth  like  untimely  figs  from  the  fig  tree,  they  departed  from 
the  truth  as  it  is  in  Christ ;  they  became  earthly ;  seeking  right- 
eousness from  the  man  of  the  earth,  and  looking  to  him  for  piety 
and  good  works,  instead  of  looking  to  Christ  only.  Satan  stood 
ready  to  devour  the  children  of  the  Covenant,  the  heirs  of  promise 
as  soon  as  they  were  born ;  that  is,  the  moment  any  one  believed  in 
Christ,  he  was  prepared  with  the  abominations  of  earthly  religion  to 
seduce  him  from  the  simplicity  which  is  in  Christ. 

V.  5.  And  she  brought  forth  a  man  child,  who  was  to  rule  all  nations  with  a  rod 
of  iron  :  and  her  child  was  caug'ht  up  unto  God,  and  to  his  throne. 

Believers  are  the  body  of  Christ :  the  man  child  signifies  the  chil- 
dren of  the  covenant,  they  are  "  to  reign  on  the  earth.''''  Those  who 
now  were  born  to  the  free  woman  were  caught  up  unto  God  and  his 
throne,  they  disappeared  entirely  from  the  earth,  none  were  left  who 
were  true  children  of  the  Covenant,  the  falling  away  was  total,  the 
heavens  departed  as  a  scroll,  the  grace  of  the  kingdom  was  now  no 
longer  known  or  preached,  "  there  icas  silence  in  heaven,'''' 

V.  6.  And  the  woman  fled  into  the  wilderness,  where  she  hath  a  place  prepared 
of  God,  that  they  should  feed  her  there  a  thousand  two  hundred  and  ihrcescore 
days. 

Here  again  is  repeated  what  was  before  revealed  ;  that  the  dura- 
tion of  this  falling  away,  and  the  reign  of  the  Abomination  would  be 
for  the  space  of  1260  years.  During  all  this  time  the  Covenant  of 
God's  Grace,  his  Everlasting  Covenant  in  Christ  has  been  fled  from 
the  earth,  has  been  in  the  wilderness  in  desolation,  and  has  not  been 
known  among  the  earthly  worshippers,  the  followers  of  the  Abomi- 
nation, even  the  abomination  of  man's  piety  and  works,  that  swine 
flesh  offering. 

V.  7,  8.  And  there  was  war  in  heaven  :  Michael  and  his  angels  fought  against 
the  dragon ;  and  the  dragon  fought  and  his  angels,  and  prevailed  not ;  neither  was 
their  place  found  any  more  in  heaven. 

It  is  after  the  falling  away,  and  after  the  free  woman  is  fled  into  the 
wilderness,  that  what  is  now  revealed  takes  place. 

"  There  was  war  in  heaven."  Though  at  the  falling  away  when 
the  1260  years  began,  there  were  none  left  Avho  kept  the  truth,  all 
the  children  of  the  heavenly  Jerusalem  being  taken  from  the  earth, 
yet  afterwards  there  were  those  who  were  "  in  heaven,"  that  is  who 
believed,  and  had  access  by  faith  into  Grace,  which  is  heaven:  these 
were  the  Church  in  Philadelphia,  as  it  has  been  revealed  in  the  pre- 
ceding chapters.  But  this  very  word,  "  there  was  war  in  heaven" 
shows  what  a  state  of  conflict  they  were  in ;  nevertheless  Satan  pre- 
vailed not,  he  could  not  deprive  them  of  their  peace  and  Rest  by  the 
accusations  of  the  law,  for  "  Michael  and  his  angels  fought ;"  as 
David  says,  "<Ae  angel  of  the  Lord  encampeth  round  about  them  that 
fear  him,  and  delivereth  them"  so  it  was  now,  for  it  is  God  who 
fighteth  for  his  people,  it  is  not  they  who  fight  and  conquer. 


126  THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

V.  9.  And  tlie  great  drag-on  was  cast  out,  that  old  serpent,  called  the  Devil,  and 
Satan,  which  deceivctli  the  whole  world  :  lie  was  cast  out  into  the  earth,  and  his 
angels  were  cast  out  with  him. 

From  this  eftort  to  disturb  the  peace  of  God's  elect,  who  were 
translated  through  faith  out  of  the  kingdom  of  Satan  into  the  kingdom 
of  heaven,  he  was  cast  out  into  the  earth,  and  his  angels  with  him, 
that  is,  the  Church  in  Philadelphia  was  kept  by  the  power  of  God, 
Satan  could  not  prevail  over  them  as  it  was  promised  to  them  in  the 
10th  verse  of  the  3d  chapter.  The  earth  signifies  earthly  worship- 
pers, who  are  in  the  outer  tabernacle  and  enter  not  by  foith  into  the 
holiest  of  all,  but  remain  outside,  oflering  gifts  and  sacrifices  that 
can  never  make  him  that  does  the  service  perfect  as  pertaining  to 
the  conscience  ;  these  carnal  ordinances  were  given  only  as  patterns 
of  things  in  heaven,  till  Christ  should  come  by  his  own  blood  and  not 
by  any  other  means  to  cleanse  our  consciences  from  all  sin,  and  open 
for  us  the  way  into  heaven  ; — now  they  who  still  cleave  to  the  earthly 
patterns  and  reject  the  heavenly  gift,  are  called  the  earth ;  into  this 
earth  Satan  was  now  cast  out ;  but  those  who  being  already  com- 
pletely in  the  power  of  Satan  and  worshipping  idols  did  not  worship 
in  the  outer  tabernacle  any  more  than  Pagans,  such  are  not  here 
signified  under  the  name  of  the  earth,  they  are  the  whole  world," 
and  therefore  the  "  earth''''  into  which  Satan  was  now  cast  out,  signi- 
fies the  earthly  worshippers  among  the  Protestants ;  and  now  begins 
the  "  hour  of  teniptation^^  spoken  of  before,  when  evil  angels  appear 
preaching  and  seducing  the  men  of  the  earth,  '■'■privily  hr'tng'tng 
in  damnable  heresies,^'  as  revealed  in  the  9th  ciiapter. 

"  Hs  was  cast  out  into  the  earth  ;"  this  is  after  the  falling  away, 
and  after  the  woman  had  fled  into  the  wilderness  :  this  casting  out  of 
Satan  into  the  earth  is  not  the  beginning  of  the  1260  years,  for  it  is 
revealed  as  taking  place  in  the  midst  of  that  time.  The  earth  here 
signifies  only  the  protestant  worshippers,  earthly  men,  who  say  they 
are  Jews,  that  is,  the  chosen  people  of  God  and  servants  of  God, 
when  they  are  not,  for  they  do  not  obey  him  and  submit  to  his  words. 
Till  now,  Satan  had  not  been  cast  into  them,  but  was  restrained  and 
hindered  for  the  sake  of  the  saints  in  Philadelphia :  he  was  not  now 
cast  out  into  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  because  he  was  already 
there,  it  was  his  seat,  and  he  gave  that  church  his  power  and  great 
authority  ;  therefore  being  there  already,  he  is  now  cast  out  into 
them.  It  is  the  protestant  beast  which  is  here  signified  ;  till  now 
they  had  kept  the.  outward  form  of  sound  doctrine  ;  but  now,  because 
they  were  earthly  and  loved  not  the  truth  which  they  had,  God  doth 
send  them  strong  delusions,  he  sends  evil  angels  among  them ;  now 
begins  that  flood  of  disorder,  confusion,  false  doctrine,  perplexity  and 
error  which  has  ever  since  prevailed  among  the  protestant  sects. 

"  His  angels  with  him.''''  He  does  not  come  alone,  multitudes  of 
devils  enter  into  tiie  earth  (the  earthly  professors)  with  him,  trans- 
formed into  angels  of  hght,  preacliing  doctrines  of  devils,  and  (which 
is  the  character  and  name  of  Satan)  accusing,  condemning,  threaten- 
ing and  grievously  tormenting  the  dwellers  on  the  cartli,  and  teaching 
them  to  call  condemnation  and  death  and  guilt  on  their  consciences, 


TlIK  IJKVELATION  OF  JESUS  CUKIoT.  127 

the  experience  and  possession  of  the  glorious  Gospel  of  God  !  how 
this  has  been  the  case  was  revealed  in  tlic  Oth  chapter. 

Christ  prophesied  of  this  generation  which  has  exalted  the  man  of 
sin,  and  trampled  under  foot  the  Man  of  Righteousness,  the  only 
Holy  One  of  Israel,  saying  that  they  were  not  to  pass  away  till  all 
was  fiiihlled,  and  also  saying,  (and  his  words  are  faithful  and  true,) 
that  after  they  had  had  some  devil  cast  out  of  them  and  become 
religious,  and  been  empty,  swept  and  garnished,  (tlius  for  a  time 
escaping  the  pollutions  of  the  world  through  their  fleshly  knowledge 
of  the  truth,)  then  the  devil  cast  out  would  return  and  bring  other 
devils  more  wicked  than  himself,  and  the  last  state  should  be  worse 
than  the  first.  Even  so  is  it  with  this  generation ;  after  sanctifying 
themselves,  they  are  confident  that  they  are  Jews,  when  they  are  of 
the  synagogue  of  Satan,  and  being  pufted  up  with  the  persuasion  of 
their  piety  and  sanctity,  they  are  filled  with  more  wicked  devils  than 
they  were  servants  to  before  their  imaginary  conversion,  so  that  their 
last  state  is  worse  than  the  first.  This  is  the  generation  which  was 
not  to  pass  away  till  all  things  were  fulfilled. 

V.  10,  11.  And  I  heard  a  loud  voice  saying  in  heaven,  Now  is  come  salvation, 
and  strcngtl),  and  the  kingdom  of  our  God,  and  the  power  of  his  Christ :  for  tiie 
accuser  of  our  brethren  is  cast  down,  whicli  accused  them  before  our  God  day  and 
night.  And  they  overcame  him  by  the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  and  by  the  word  of  their 
testimony ;  and  they  loved  not  their  lives  unto  the  death. 

His  accusation  by  the  law  is  his  warfare  :  and  but  for  the  blood  of 
Christ,  by  this  warfare  and  accusation  he  would  succeed  in  dragging 
all  the  saints  of  God  from  heaven,  that  is,  in  depriving  them  of  peace 
with  God  and  of  a  purified  conscience ;  for  the  accusation  is  true, 
they  have  grievously  sinned,  and  by  the  just  and  righteous  law  which 
they  have  violated  he  claims  to  have  power  over  them  to  torment 
and  punish  them.  But  fbr  ever,  yea,  for  ever  blessed  be  God  !  by 
the  blood  of  the  Lamb,  we  are  more  than  conquerors,  and  answer 
doubly  all  his  accusations,  his  blood  cleanseth  us  from  all  sin  ;  this 
blood  sprinkling  us,  purges  our  consciences,  we  are  freed  from  guilt 
and  condemnation,  and  he  cannot  prevail  against  us.  Even  the  blood 
of  rams  and  of  goats  and  the  sprinkling  of  a  heiter,  inasmuch  as  it 
testified  of  Christ,  sanctified  in  former  days  ;  how  much  more  doth 
the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  lamb  which  God  himself  provided, 
purge  our  consciences  from  dead  works  1  God  having  provided  a 
sacrifice  for  us,  we  have  not  to  provide  or  furnish  any  whatever,  it 
is  an  abomination  to  offer  up  any  other  sacrifice :  in  Him  the  Lamb 
of  God,  God  is  well  pleased. 

"  They  overcame  him  by  the  wot-d  of  their  testimony. ^^  It  was 
expressly  pronfised  to  the  church  in  Philadelphia,  that  they  should  be 
kept  from  this  dreadful  time  of  Satan  when  he  would  be  cast  unto  the 
earth,  because  they  kept  his  word. 

"  They  loved  7wt  their  lives  unto  the  death.'"  When  a  man  loves 
his  life,  he  will  be  in  death  ;  when  a  man  hates  his  life  and  desires, 
and  is  willing  to  be  crucified  together  with  Christ,  he  will  obtain  life 
eternal.  "  Our  bellies  cleave  to  the  dust,"  we  cling  to  the  life  of 
this  world,  and  are  unwilling  to  forsake  all  and  follow  Christ,  it  is 


128  THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

literally  parting  with  our  lives ;  until  God  makes  us  fit  for  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  we  keep  looking  back  after  we  have  put  our  hands 
to  the  plough.  But  he  who  will  live  with  Christ  must  die  with  him, 
must  drink  of  that  cup,  forsake  his  life,  and  surrender  his  body  to 
be  crucified  in  its  affections  and  lusts,  Christ  will  do  all  this  for  him 
according  to  his  faith,  according  to  his  hungering  after  the  true 
Righteousness,  and  he  will  also  give  him  this  faith.  The  church  in 
Philadelphia  "  loved  not  their  lives  unto  the  death."  It  is  a  painful 
conflict,  it  is  dying,  it  is  being  "  put  to  death  together  with  him ;" 
yea,  with  him,  for  he  sutlers  when  his  people,  his  members  sufler. 

V.  12.  Therefore  rejoice,  ye  heavens,  and  ye  that  dwell  in  them.  Woe  to  the 
inhabiters  of  the  earth  and  of  the  sea  !  for  the  devil  is  come  down  unto  you,  having 
great  wrath,  because  he  knoweth  that  he  hatii  but  a  short  time. 

"  Woe  to  the  inhabiters  of  the  ea?-th."  This  same  woe  was  uttered 
before,  previous  to  the  appearance  of  the  many  delusions  and  errors 
which  immediately  followed,  as  revealed  in  the  9th  chapter.  Of  this 
time  also,  and  of  this  Woe,  Daniel  prophesied,  saying,  "a/u/  there  shall 
be  a  time  of  trouble,  such  as  never  icas  since  there  ivas  a  nation,  even 
to  that  same  time.''  This  word  "  irotible,"  signifies  the  tribulation 
and  trouble  which  now  is ;  it  is  confusion,  perplexity,  disorder,  tu- 
mult ;  it  is  trouble  :  it  is  not  the  day  of  wrath  and  vengeance,  that 
is  to  come,  after  this  day  of  trouble  and  disorder.  Isaiah  has  also 
prophesied  of  this  day  of  trouble,  and  reeling  to  and  fro,  showing  how 
the  star  called  Wormwood  has  made  the  strong  drink  of  the  Gospel 
bitter  to  them  that  drink  it,  how  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  are 
burned,  (which  burning  by  the  law,  they  call  the  beauty  of  the 
Gospel.)    Ch.  xxiv;  ch.  ii,  v.  24,  25. 

"  Woe  to  the  inhabiters  of  the  sea."  Not  only  has  the  earth  been 
deceived  and  followed  doctrines  of  devils,  but  also  as  it  has  been  seen 
in  these  days,  the  inhabiters  of  the  sea  have  not  escaped.  They  who 
have  not  been  joined  to  religious  societies  but  have  boldly  rejected 
the  Scriptures,  have  also  followed  devils,  and  the  most  absurd,  abo- 
minable and  blasphemous  theories  and  madness  has  been  engendered 
and  received  among  them  at  the  same  time  with  the  earth.  It  has 
been  the  age  of  abominations,  of  diabolical  activity  and  folly,  both  in 
the  sea  and  in  the  earth,  that  is,  both  among  infidels  and  religious 
sects.  It  has  been  a  time  of  trouble  and  perplexity,  such  as  never 
has  been  known  since  the  world  began  ;  the  sea  and  its  waves  roar- 
ing with  a  blasphemous  audacity  and  boldness  such  as  never  before 
at  any  time  was  witnessed.  It  has  been  the  flood  and  deluge  of 
Satan.  The  commencement  of  this  time  of  trouble  (when  Satan, 
failing  in  the  war  in  heaven  against  them  in  Philadelphia,  was  cast 
out  into  the  earth)  has  been  revealed  in  the  9th  chapter.  But  it  was 
not  only  Woe  to  the  inhabiters  of  the  earth,  but  also  Woe  to  the 
inhabiters  of  the  sea ;  for  while  Satan  was  working  religiously  in 
England  he  was  also  busy  in  the  Sea,  especially  in  France,  where 
infidelity  was  as  active  as  religious  falsehood  was  in  England.  The 
French  R(;volution  and  the  blasphemies  of  the  French  Philosophers 
was  contemporaneous  with  the  rise  of  serpents  and  scorpions  in  the 
religious  world,  that  is,  both  occurred  about  the  same  time,  fulfilling 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  129 

the  words,  "  Woe  to  the  inhabiters  of  the  sea."  Because  iniquity- 
has  so  dreadfully  abounded  in  all  this  time  of  trouble,  both  religious 
and  political,  the  love  of  many  (namely,  of  Laodicea)  has  waxed 
cold  ;  for  which  lukewarmness,  (waxing  cold,  though  not  quite  cold,) 
Laodicea  was  reproved  in  the  third  chaper  ;  by  which  also  we  know 
that  this  is  that  very  time  of  tribulation  which  Christ  foretold  should 
come  to  pass ;  and  we  know  that  immediately  after  this  tribulation 
there  will  come  a  darkness  over  the  earth,  the  sun  will  be  darkened : 
(but  not  to  the  elect  of  God  ;  only  to  the  earth  :  "  ye  brethren  are  not 
in  darkness,  that  that  day  should  overtake  you  as  a  thief.  Ye  are  all 
the  children  of  the  light  and  the  children  of  the  day,  we  are  not  of  the 
night  nor  of  darkness,")  and  in  the  midst  of  this  darkness,  the  day 
of  the  Lord  will  come,  a  day  of  darkness  to  them  that  dwell  on  the 
earth ;  and  then  shall  they  see  the  Son  of  man  coming  in  the  clouds 
of  heaven  with  power  and  great  glory.  (Zeph.  i.  14  to  17.  Amos 
V.  18,  20.  Joel  iii.  14,  15,  16.  Ezl.  xxxii.  7,  8.  Ez.  xxx.  2,  3.  Is. 
V.  30.    Is.  viii.  22.    Is.  xiii.  9,  10.) 

"  He  hath  but  a  short  time.'"  Hence  it  is  manifest  that  the  day  is 
close  at  hand,  when  he  shall  be  bound  for  a  thousand  years,  as  it  is 
revealed  in  another  chapter :  therefore,  immediately  after  these  tri- 
bulations  which  he  bringeth  on  the  earth,  the  day  of  the  Lord  will 
come,  as  Christ  has  also  foretold,  (Matt.  24,)  but  first  night  will 
come,  and  gross  darkness  upon  the  earth  ;  "  the  sun  shall  be  dark- 
ened and  the  moon  shall  not  give  her  light."  That  day  will  come 
"  in  the  night,"  as  a  thief. 

V.  13.  And  when  the  dragon  saw  that  he  was  cast  unto  the  earth,  he  persecuted 
the  woman  which  brought  forth  the  man  child. 

In  all  the  hour  of  temptation  from  which  the  church  in  Philadel- 
phia was  kept,  which  began  after  the  Woe  pronounced  above,  the 
great,  constant,  and  inexhaustible  topic  of  the  false  prophets  and 
preachers  of  the  earth,  has  ever  been  to  preach  and  declaim  in  all 
their  sermons,  and  warn  men  against  the  free  woman,  that  is,  the 
doctrine  of  Christ,  the  doctrine  which  gives  freedom  from  the  law 
of  death  and  condemnation.  To  hear  of  it,  tormented  them  beyond 
measure,  they  denounced  it  as  licentious,  immoral,  antinomian,  blas- 
phemous, (kc.  The  preachers  of  this  blessed  Gospel  of  ..^o  and 
liberty,  of  whom  there  were  several  in  the  church  of  Laodicea,  (be- 
fore the  two  witnesses  had  finished  their  testimony,)*  were  hated 
and  cast  out,  and  considered  as  enemies  of  religion. 

"  He  persecuted  the  woman."  It  was  the  doctrine  they  persecuted, 
the  woman,  not  the  followers  of  the  doctrine,  the  church  of  the  Lao- 
diceans,  because  they  excited  no  envy,  their  walk  and  conversation 
being  carnal,  was  a  triumph  to  the  earth,  but  the  time  is  coming 
when  they  will  persecute  them  also  as  well  as  their  doctrine,  when 
they  shall  behold  in  them  the  Power  and  Might  of  God.  They  des- 
pised and  pitied  them  when  they  saw  them  not  approved,  spued  out 
of  his  mouth,  and  almost  as  hot  and  burning  in  lust  after  money  and 
the   things  of  this  life  as  themselves  ;  there  was  nothing  to  create 

*  Such  were  Mr.  Romainc,  Dr.  Hawker,  Win.  Huntington,  and  others. 
17 


130  THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

their  envy,  and  they  only  therefore  persecuted  the  "  wonianJ'''  La- 
odicea  has  trusted  in  gold  that  would  not  stand  the  fire,  in  feelings, 
frames  and  experiences  ;  they  have  been  naked  and  their  shame  has 
appeared,  and  their  enemies  have  triumphed  over  them  j  Christ 
counsels  them  to  buy  of  him  gold  tried  in  the  fire,  which  will  with- 
stand every  fiery  trial,  and  white  raiment  that  they  may  be  clothed ; 
he  stands  at  the  door  and  knocks  ;  (he  that  hath  ears  to  hear,  let 
him  hear.)  Thus  Satan  has  persecuted  the  woman  which  brought 
forth  the  man  child.  The  persecution  has  not  been  against  them 
who  believed  for  the  reasons  mentioned  above,  but  against  the  truth 
and  doctrine,  the  Everlasting  Covenant  of  God's  Righteousness  and 
Love  in  which  they  trusted,  against  the  woman,  viz.  "  Jerusalem, 
which  is  above,  who  is  free,  and  i.s  the  mother  of  zis  all.^^  But  not- 
withstanding their  hatred,  let  them  know  that  this  woman  hath 
"  brought  forth  a  man  child  ivhich  is  to  rule  all  nations  uith  a  rod  of 
iron,"  that  is,  them  who  believe,  the  children  of  the  kingdom,  and 
they  all  are  together  the  body  of  Christ,  and  "  they  shall  reign  on 
the  earth. ^^ 

V.  14.  And  to  the  woman  were  given  two  wings  of  a  great  eagle,  that  she  might 
fly  into  the  wilderness,  into  her  place  ;  where  she  is  nourislied  for  a  time,  and  times, 
and  half  a  time,  from  the  face  of  the  serpent. 

Here  again  is  revealed  (as  hath  so  frequently  been  repeated)  the 
duration  of  the  time  in  which  the  Abomination  will  prevail  and  the 
truth  be  hidden  from  the  world,  viz.  1260  years.  A  time  is  a  Jewish 
year,  times  are  two  of  the  years,  and  a  half  is  six  months,  making 
in  all  42  months  and  1260  days,  signifying  that  number  of  years. 
"  That  she  micht  fij  into  the  wilderness,  into  her  place  jvhcre  she  is 
nourished,^'  shows  that  the  time  of  1260  years  did  not  now  first 
begin,  but  that  with  respect  to  the  church  in  Philadelphia,  the  people 
of  God  were  in  a  better  condition  than  any  had  been  in  since  the 
falling  away,  so  that  the  woman  had,  as  it  were,  left  her  place  in  the 
wilderness  ;  for  then  she  was,  though  desolate,  yet  less  desolate  than  at 
any  other  period  of  the  Abomination  which  has  made  desolate.  "  She 
flew  into  her  place,"  that  is,  now  when  Satan  was  cast  out  into  the 
Protestant  earth  of  earthly  men,  (who  till  this  time  had  enjoyed 
quiet  for  the  sake  of  the  church  in  Philadelphia,)  the  desolation  be- 
came greater  than  ever  it  had  been  before.  The  truth  of  God  rapidly 
disappeared,  she  fled  with  wings  as  of  an  eagle.  And  so  it  has  been 
in  this  hour  of  temptation  and  time  of  tribulation  ;  the  truth  of  God, 
Zion,  has  been  more  desolate,  has  been  fled  further  away,  has  been 
more  removed  from  the  earth  than  ever  it  has  been  in  any  former 
time,  till  now  at  last,  the  truth  is  utterly  cast  out  and  the  children  of 
the  bondwoman  triumph  and  make  merry  and  send  presents  one  to 
another,  because,  they  are  no  longer  tormented  with  hearing  the 
preaching  and  prophesying  of  God's  eternal  truth,  and  everlasting 
Gospel. 

V.  15.  And  the  serpent  cast  out  of  his  month  water  as  a  flood,  after  the  woman, 
that  he  might  cause  her  to  be  carried  away  of  the  flood. 

"  Water  as  a  food."     The  word  of  God  is  called  water,  and  so 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  131 

also  the  teaching  and  lies  of  Satan  are  called  water :  the  false  doc- 
trines whtch  have  deluged  the  religious  world,  giving  rise  to  innu- 
merable sects,  are  here  signified.     Satan  has  cast  these  "  out  of  his 
mouth,  after  the  woman  /"that  is,  against  the  Covenant  of  God's  grace 
and  everlasting  love  to  his  elect  in  Christ  Jesus,  which  it  has  been 
the  object  of  the  dragon  to  destroy  ;  and  truly  in  these  days,  in  which 
we  have  seen  the  flood  of  Satan's  doctrines  overflowing  the  earth,  it 
has  been  seen  that  they  have  all  been  directed  against  and  in  oppo- 
sition to  the   Everlasting  Covenant.     It   is  against   this  Covenant, 
against  Jerusalem  which  is  above,  against  "  the  woman'''  that  Satan 
has  poured  out  all  his  flood  of  delusions.     Against  it  the  false  pro- 
phets have  directed  all  their  venom.     In  this  has  been  fulfilled  the 
prophecy  of  the  Apostle  Paul,  "  God  shall  send  them  strong  delusions,^'' 
and  he  says  it  will  be  because  they  did  not  receive  the  truth  in  the 
love  of  it.     The  object  of  Satan  was  that  the  Truth  "  might  be  car- 
ried away  in  the  food."     No  engine  against  the  truth  could  be  more 
powerful  than  an  imitation  and  counterfeit,  getting  men  to  follow  this 
instead  of  the  real ;  Satan  had  already  tried  this  and  succeeded  for  a 
long  time,  and  yet,  notwithstanding  the  church  in  Philadelphia,  and 
some  even  in  Sardis,  received  the  truth  and  rejected  the  counterfeit 
and  abomination.      But  now   towards  the   end  of  the   42   months, 
knowing  that  his  time  is  short  and  being  cast  out  upon  the  earth 
from  his  effort  to  overthrow  the  people  of  God  in  Philadelphia,  who 
had  access  by  faith  into  Grace,  that  is,  into  heaven,  he  now  makes 
one  great  effort,  more  violent  than  any  before ;  he   pours  out  an 
immense  flood  of  delusions ;  not  one  abomination,  not  one  counterfeit 
and  false  system  of  Christianity,  but  thousands ;  and  the  object  is  as 
is  here  expressed,  "  that  he  might  cause  her  to  be  carried  away  of 
the  food"  that   in  the  midst  of  such  a  vast  crowd  of  falsehoods, 
deceptions  and  delusions,  the  truth  may  be  lost  and  swept  away,  that 
men  may  be  thereby  deceived,  and  being  lost  and  bewildered  in  the 
confusion   of  so   much  religious  madness  and  folly  may  be  led  to 
suppose  that  there  is  no  Truth  of  God  at  all,  and  that  since  there 
are  such  floods  of  delusions  all  is  a  delusion,  and  there  is  no  truth  of 
God.     Thus  he  hoped  to  sweep  away  the  only  truth,  by  a  great  flood 
of  counterfeits,  that  it  might  be  carried  away  in  the  flood  and  so  no 
one  might  believe,  and  so  no  flesh  might  be  saved  !     And  except  the 
Lord  had  shortened  these  days  no  flesh  should  be  saved  ;  but  for  the 
elect's  sake  whom  he  hath  chosen  he  will  shorten  these  days.    (Mat. 
ii.  4.) 

V.  16.  And  the  earth  helped  tlie  woman ;  and  the  eartli  opened  her  mouth,  and 
swallowed  ap  the  flood  which  the  dragon  cast  out  of  his  mouth. 

The  earth,  (the  religious  professors,)  has  opened  its  mouth  and 
swallowed  up  the  flood  which  the  dragon  has  cast  out  of  his  mouth : 
there  is  no  folly  and  delusion  however  monstrous  and  abominable, 
which  they  have  not  greedily  swallowed.  It  has  been  indeed  "  an 
hour  of  temptation,  to  try  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth.''^  They 
would  not  receive  the  truth  that  God,  he  alone  is  God  and  the 
Creator,   he   alone   is  holy  and  he  alone  has  power,  he  alone  saves, 


132  THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

and  saves  whom  he  will — they  asserted  that  man  has  holiness, 
"  personal  holmess"  and  power,  and  is  a  self  creator,  if  he  chooses  ; 
the  truth  they  would  not  receive,  but  every  falsehood  and  all  sorts 
of  lies  and  absurdities  they  have  greedily  received  and  swallowed. 
In  doing  so  they  have  "  helped  the  wonmn,^^  for  the  truth  being  the 
only  thing  they  would  not  receive,  all  agreeing  in  a  general  malig- 
nity against  it,  they  have  set  it  apart,  and  separated  it  from  their 
own  doctrines  and  abominations,  and  thus  set  a  mark  upon  it  which 
cannot  be  mistaken.  The  covenant  of  God's  Righteousness,  even  of 
his  Christ,  by  whom  and  in  whom  they  that  receive  him  are  blessed, 
by  faith  and  without  doing  any  thing, — this  Covenant  of  Grace  and 
favour  and  Love,  in  being  thus  thrust  out  from  such  company,  is 
individualized  and  separated  from  out  of  the  flood  of  religious  decep- 
tions and  delusions ;  and  thus  the  earth  which  would  not  receive  the 
truth,  has  helped  the  truth  by  receiving  and  swallowing  the  flood  of 
error. 

V.  17.  And  the  dragon  was  wroth  with  the  woman,  and  went  to  make  war  with 
the  remnant  of  her  seed,  which  keep  the  commands  of  God,  and  have  the  testimony 
of  Jesus  Christ. 

"  The  remnant  of  her  seed,''''  shows  that  the  child  caught  up  to 
God  and  his  throne,  as  mentioned  in  the  fifth  verse,  signified  only 
a  part  of  her  seed  ;  there  is  a  remnant  yet  remaining  of  the  man 
child,  the  seed  of  the  free  woman,  the  children  of  light,  the  chil- 
dren of  the  kingdom  ;  all  who  believe  are  collectively  the  man 
child,  the  seed  of  the  free  woman,  of  whom  David  says,  "a  seed 
shall  serve  him"  which  seed  the  Apostle  Paul  testifies  is  the 
whole  body  of  Christ,  "  and  every  one  of  us  members  in  particular." 
Satan  makes  war  against  this  seed  of  the  woman,  for  he  is  wroth 
against  her,  and  against  the  truth  of  Jesus  Christ.  He  does  not  go 
to  war  with  the  earth,  he  bites  and  torments  them  ;  he  has  warred 
against  them  of  Laodicea  and  overcome  them,  for  they  have  not  been 
in  heaven  "  seated  together  with  Him  in  heavenhj  places"  they  have 
been  "  carnal,  and  ivalked  as  men,"  therefore  because  they  were 
neither  hot  nor  cold  the  Lord  has  "  spued  them  out  of  his  mouth," 
that  is,  they  have  not  been  delivered,  but  have  been  given  over  to 
Satan  ^^for  the  destrvciion  of  the  flesh,  that  the  Spirit  may  be  saved 
in  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesiis."  To  them  it  is  said,  "  Behold  I  stand 
at  the  door  and  knock."  But  the  remnant  of  her  seed  here  spoken 
of,  signifies  those  who  will  now  believe,  the  remnant  which  is  yet  to 
be  fulfilled  of  the  body  of  Christ,  against  whom  he  is  going  to  make 
furious  war,  and  against  whom  he  shall  not  prevail,  for  their  Re- 
deemer is  mighty,  the  Lord  of  Hosts  is  his  name.  This  remnant  is 
yet  to  be  gathered  in  before  the  end  cometh  :  the  church  of  Laodi- 
cea is  among  them,  they  will  hear  the  voice  of  Christ,  they  will 
follow  him,  and  not  love  their  lives ;  "  he  that  is  of  God  hoareth 
God's  words,"  and  they  will  hear,  after  they  have  been  chastened 
and  rebuked.  And  not  they  only,  but  also  the  multitude  of  the  sea, 
(as  the  prophet  has  foretold,)  and  also  Israel,  and  also  many  of  the 
earth,  of  Sodom  and  Egypt,  and  also  of  Great  Babylon.  "  And 
there  shall  be  One  Lord  and  his  name  One." 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  133 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

A  more  particular  Revelation  is  now  made  of  the  various  churches 
or  ecclesiastical  establishments  which  have  during  the  time  of  1260 
years  passed  under  the  name  of  churches  of  God,  when  they  were 
inventions  of  men,  and  churches  of  the  devil. 

The  power,  reign  and  dominion  of  these  establishments  is  called  a 
"  Beast,"  and  by  the  prophet  Daniel  a  "  King"  for  man  exalted 
and  honoured  is  the  whole  foundation  of  their  religion,  and  their 
reign  and  dominion  is  the  reign  and  dominion  of  man  and  not  of 
Christ ;  David  testifies  that  "  man  that  is  in  honour  and  understand- 
eth  not,  is  like  the  beasts  that  perish"  and  Daniel  says,  (speaking  of 
four  different  dominions,)  "  the  four  beasts  are  kings."  This  Beast 
is  sinful  man,  exalted  and  set  in  honour  as  a  king  and  a  saviour ;  he 
is  called  by  the  Apostle  Paul  the  "  7}ian  of  sin,"  that  is,  simply  sinful 
man ;  and  because  his  sins  are  as  scarlet,  he  is  also  called  a  "  scarlet 
beast." 

V.  1.  And  I  stood  upon  the  sand  of  the  sea,  and  saw  a  beast  rise  up  out  of  the  sea, 
having  seven  heads  and  ten  horns,  and  upon  his  horns  ten  crowns,  and  upon  his 
heads  the  name  of  blasphemy. 

This  beast  rose  up  out  of  the  sea,  for  the  Roman  and  also  the 
Greek  Church  (which  are  the  same  and  were  one  at  their  origin) 
was  set  up  and  received  its  power  from  the  sea,  from  the  world,  and 
men  of  this  world,  among  whom  the  Emperor  Constantino  is  most 
distinguished.  This  beast  is  the  same  which  in  the  preceding  chapter 
was  revealed  as  appearing  and  standing  before  the  woman  to  devour 
her  seed ;  there  it  was  called  the  dragon,  and  here  it  is  man,  for 
they  are  both  one,  as  Christ  and  his  people  are  both  one,  but  are  a 
lamb  not  a  dragon. 

V.  2.  And  the  beast  which  I  saw  was  like  unto  a  leopard,  and  his  feet  were  as 
the  feet  of  a  bear,  aud  his  mouth  as  the  mouth  of  a  lion:  and  the  dragon  gave  him 
his  power,  and  his  seat,  and  great  authority. 

A  leopard  represents  sinful  man  ;  the  prophet  Jeremiah  says,  "  can 
the  leopard  change  his  sjwts  ?"  The  dragon  gave  him  great  au- 
thority ;  the  Church  of  Rome  has  had  great  authority  indeed,  and  it 
has  been  both  the  authority  of  man  and  the  authority  of  Satan  in 
one. 

V.  3,  4.  And  I  saw  one  of  his  heads  as  it  were  wounded  to  death ;  and  his 
deadly  wound  was  healed  :  and  all  the  world  wondered  after  the  beast.  And  they 
worshipped  the  dragon  which  gave  power  unto  the  beast :  and  they  worshipped  the 
beast,  saying,  Who  is  like  unto  the  beast  ?  who  is  able  to  make  war  with  him  ? 

Christ  put  to  death  the  body  of  sin  and  death ;  then  was  the  old 
Adam,  the  old  man  slain,  then  that  beast  received  his  death  wound  ; 
but  now  by  the  falsehood  of  Satan  he  is  revived  again,  as  if  he  had 
life  and  could  do  good,  and  notwithstanding  that  deadly  wound  putting 
him  to  death,  is  taught  by  this  Church  as  having  life  and  power  and 
being  able  to  do  good  and  serve  God  and  work  righteousness.  This 
beast  thus  revived  by  false  doctrine  now  excited  the  wonder  of  all 
the  world  by  liis  apparent  life,  and  the  apparent  works  of  goodness 
and  sanctity  which  he  now  began  to  exhibit. 


134  THE  REVKLATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

V.  5.  And  there  was  given  unto  him  a  mouth  speaking  great  things,  and  blas- 
phemies :  and  power  was  given  unto  him  to  continue  forty  and  two  months. 

Here  again  is  revealed  (which  has  so  often  been  repeated)  that  the 
power  of  the  Beast  should  continue  lor  1260  years,  in  which  time 
the  saints  of  God  should  not  have  power,  but  should  be  overcome,  as 
the  following  verses  show. 

V.  11.  And  I  beheld  another  beast  coming  up  out  of  the  earth  ;  and  he  had  two 
horns  like  a  larnb,  and  he  spake  as  a  dragon. 

This  second  beast  comprehends  all  the  number  and  variety  of  all 
other  churches  or  religious  bodies  which  at  different  times  have 
sprung  up,  since  what  is  called  the  reformation. 

"  Coming  up  out  of  the  earth,''''  shows  that  they  did  not  arise  all 
at  once,  in  unity  as  the  former  establishment  did,  but  at  different 
times,  as  it  were  continually  springing  up  :  "  out  of  the  earth,''''  that 
is,  they  were  not  set  up  by  princes  or  emperors,  men  of  the  sea,  but 
arose  from  the  fleshly  zeal  and  piety  of  religious  persons,  from  the 
whoredoms  of  men,  from  the  bottomless  pit  of  the  earth. 

"  Tioo  horns  like  a  lamb ;"  these  are  Luther  and  Calvin,  both 
acknowledged  as  the  two  great  authorities  or  horns  of  the  reforma- 
tion :  "  I'lke  a  lamb,''''  for  the  doctrine  and  ministration  which  now 
began  was  very  much  like  the  doctrine  of  Christ  the  Lamb  of  God  ; 
it  was  a  counterfeit  more  subtle  and  more  resembling  the  truth  than 
the  former  establishment. 

"  He  spake  as  a  dragon :"  that  is,  although  the  beast  which  is 
here  revealed  as  now  arising,  appeared  like  a  lamb,  it  was  not  in 
reality  the  power  and  reign  of  Christ  the  Lamb  which  now  arose  ; 
for  "  he  spake  as  a  dragon  ,•"  the  dragon  is  the  accuser,  the  opposer, 
using  the  Law  to  accuse  and  to  oppose  the  Grace  of  God ;  so  also, 
as  the  dragon,  both  Luther  and  Calvin  preached  the  Law  which 
accuses  and  condemns,  and  thus  they  spake  as  a  dragon.  "  He  (the 
beast)  spake  as  a  dragon ;"  this  beast  in  all  its  many  and  various 
shapes  and  forms  has  always  spoken  as  a  dragon ;  like  a  dragon 
breathing  out  fire  and  smoke  and  brimstone ;  using  all  the  terrors  of 
the  law,  and  fears  and  threats,  as  instruments  of  its  religion. 

V.  12.  And  he  exerciseth  all  the  povfer  of  the  first  beast  before  him,  and  causeth 
the  earth,  and  them  which  dwell  therein,  to  worship  the  first  beast,  whose  deadly 
wound  was  healed. 

"  All  the  power  of  the  first  beast  before  him :"  that  is,  the  very 
same  kind  of  power  which  the  Roman  Catholic  beast  exercised,  has 
been  since  him  exercised  by  the  Protestant  beast.  "  And  cavseth 
the  earth  to  worship ;"  the  Protestant  churches  have  been  as  intole- 
rant as  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  and  forced  or  "  caused"  men 
to  worship  according  to  their  forms,  and  punished  men  for  non- 
conformity as  well  as  the  beast  before,  thus  caus'mg  the  earth  to  wor- 
ship.* 

*  The  cruel  and  bloody  persecutions  of  the  Church  of  England  against  those 
who  would  not  conform  to  her,  arc  well  known.  In  170.3,  when  an  act  of  tole- 
ration was  brought  forward  in  Scotland  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  did  not  conform 
to  the  PrcBbyterian  church,  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterians  presented 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CnEIST.  135 

"  To  worship  the  first  beast,  whose  deadly  wound  was  healed.'''' 
The  Roman  Catholic  Church  worshipped  several  beasts  :  it  is  repre- 
sented with  seven  heads ;  the  head  signifies  the  abomination,  the 
object  of  trust  and  confidence,  as  Christ  is  the  "  head  of  the  church:'''' 
one  of  the  objects  of  trust  and  confidence  in  the  Roman  Church,  as 
well  as  their  images,  saints  and  mass,  &c.,is  man,  the  old  man,  the 
body  of  sin  and  death,  in  him  they  also  trust,  in  his  doing  good,  in 
his  works  and  piety  ;  this  is  one  of  the  heads  of  that  church ;  this  is 
sinful  man,  the  beast,  the  body  of  sin  and  death  which  received  a 
deadly  wound,  which  was  put  to  death  in  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ  : 
this  beast  which  though  put  to  death  yet  lives,  {it  is  not  and  yet  is,) 
is  that  one  of  the  seven  heads  which  the  Protestant  Beast  has  caused 
men  to  worship  ;  this  is  the  beast  whose  deadly  wound  was  healed, 
and  it  is  the  same  as  the  first  beast ;  and  they  have  caused  men  to 
worship  it :  "  it  is  of  the  seven,"  and  yet  it  is  "  the  eighth,"  and 
"  it  ascendeth  out  of  the  hottojnless  pit,'''  that  is,  religious  whoredom 
is  that  which  has  raised  and  exalted  it,  and  it  shall  be  destroyed,  that 
is,  "  it  goeth  into  perdition" 

V.  13.  And  he  doeth  great  wonders,  so  that  he  maketh  fire  come  down  from 
heaven  on  the  earth  in  the  sight  of  men. 

"  He  doeth  great  u-onders ;"  these  are  the  deeds  of  piety  and 
apparent  holiness  which  this  beast  has  done :  the  wonderful  reforma- 
tions it  has  apparently  wrought,  the  devils  it  has  cast  out ;  for  of  a 
truth  many  evil  livers  and  drunkards  and  others  have  had  such  devils 
as  were  in  them  cast  out,  and  to  the  wonder  of  the  sea  and  admira- 
tion of  the  earth  have  joined  the  church  and  become  pious,  being 
"  made  perfect  in  thefesh"  This  beast  has  also  often  preached  the 
terrible  law  of  God,  which  is  a  law  against  all  unrighteousness  and 
ungodliness  of  men,  and  which  is  true  and  certain,  though  even  Satan 
preached  it ;  and  thus,  not  knowing  what  spirit  they  were  of,  (Luke 
ix.  54,  55,)  they  have  made  the  dreadful  judgments  of  God's  law  to 
fall  like  fire  from  heaven  upon  wicked  transgressors.  The  manifest 
judgments  of  the  law  which  have  often  and  in  the  most  awful  manner 
fallen  upon  men,  after  the  threatening  and  denunciations  of  this  beast, 
are  great  wonders  which  he  has  done.  Even  in  this  day  these 
wonders  are  often  trumpeted  forth  in  the  newspapers,  and  it  is  re- 
lated how  men  have  returned  money  or  other  things  which  they  had 
stolen  before  they  became  religious ;  these  things  are  called  the 
"  Power  of  Religion,"  &c.  and  create  admiration  and  wonder  in  the 
sight  of  men  when  they  behold  the  firo  of  God's  law  causing  evil 
man  "  ^o  do  many  things.'^ 

V.  14.  And  deceiveth  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth  by  the  means  of  those  mira- 
cles which  he  had  power  to  do  in  the  sight  of  the  beast,  saying  to  them  that  dwell 
on  the  earth,  that  they  should  make  an  image  to  the  beast  which  had  the  wound 
by  a  sword,  and  did  live. 

a  representation  against  it,  which  caused  it  to  be  laid  aside.  This  "causing  men 
to  worship,'"  refusing  toleration,  using  constraint  and  force,  is  the  same  power  as 
was  exercised  by  the  beast  before :  as  if  God  would  have  among  his  people  those 
who  served  him  unwillingly  I 


136  THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

By  means  of  these  wonders  or  miracles,  which  are  not  by  the 
Spirit  of  Christ,  he  deceiveth  the  men  of  the  eartii ;  they  have  taken 
the  dreadful  certainty  of  the  law  to  be  a  clear  proof  that  they  pos- 
sessed the  Gospel,  and  have  been  deceived. 

"  Saying,  they  should  make  an  linage  to  the  beast :"  here  is  another 
deception  revealed,  the  deepest  and  most  wonderful  of  all.  The 
astonishing  and  manifest  truth  of  this  which  is  here  revealed,  shows 
the  wisdom  and  almighty  power  and  glory  of  Christ,  who  revealed 
this  thing  so  many  ages  before ;  "  truly,^^  they  will  say  who  do  not 
harden  their  hearts,  truly  this  is  the  Christ,  the  only  Saviour,  and 
his  7cord  is  true. 

The  abomination,  the  beast  to  which  the  Protestant  harlots  or 
beasts,  have  said  men  should  make  an  image,  is  particularly  specified 
and  designated,  it  is  "  the  beast  which  had  a  wound  by  a  sword  and 
did  lice,^^  it  is  man,  the  flesh,  the  body  of  sin  and  death,  it  is  of  the 
seven  abominations  of  the  beast  before,  and  in  the  Protestant  beast  it 
is  an  eighth,  it  is  the  beast  that  was,  and  is  not,  and  yet  is ;  it  is  the 
beast  which  has  ascended  out  of  the  bottomless  pit,  which  has  sprung 
out  of  the  religious  whoredom  and  wisdom  of  earthly  men  ;  it  is  man, 
sinful  man,  iniquity,  the  wicked  one,  the  head  of  earthly  worshippers, 
as  the  Holy  One  is  the  head  of  them  that  worship  God  in  spirit  and 
in  truth.  This  wicked  one  is  now  fully  revealed  and  greatly  exalted, 
and  now  in  this  day,  even  all  shame  is  passed  away  and  the  power 
and  excellence  and  goodness  and  hopefulness  of  this  wicked  one, 
"  sifting  as  God  in  the  temj)le  of  God,''"'  is  openly  maintained  and 
exalted.  Let  us  now  see  what  is  signified  by  making  an  image  to 
this  beast. 

The  beast  with  two  horns,  that  is,  the  body  of  Protestants,  has 
always  spoken  bitterly  against  the  first  beast,  viz.  the  Roman  Catho- 
lics, and  against  their  abomination  of  confiding  in  the  works  of  man 
and  exalting  that  beast  which  had  the  deadly  wound.  But  while 
they  have  been  talking  loudly  against  their  elder  sister  (Ezek.  xxiii.), 
they  have  set  up  the  same  beast  and  taught  religious  people,  the 
earth,  to  look  to  the  beast,  that  is,  to  their  own  doings,  the  doings  of 
man,  to  his  piety,  his  labour  and  efforts  for  working  righteousness, 
that  is,  doing  good.  But,  as  they  have  both  preached  and  written  and 
fought  against  the  Roman  Catholics,  and  especially  against  this  one  of 
the  seven  heads  of  their  abominations,  they  have  therefore  pretended 
to  much  more  purity,  and  have  not  openly  and  directly  set  up  the  beast, 
but  instead  thereof  have  said  to  their  followers,  {tJicm  that  dwell  on 
the  earth)  that  they  should  make  an  image  to  this  beast ;  and  behold 
how  they  have  done  it.  They  have  preached  and  taught,  that  to  be 
born  again  is  to  have  a  new  man  created  internally,  and  that  it  is 
this  new  creature,  this  image  of  man,  an  imaginary  man,  who  does 
good  ;  thus  they  have  deceived  themselves  and  others,  saying  "  it  is 
not  the  old  man  who  dors  gcod,  it  is  not  the  beast,  but  it  is  the  ne\o  man, 
this  image  of  the  beast.^''  Thus  they  escape  from  Christ,  and  reject 
him,  tli(!y  will  not  have  him  to  work  righteousness  for  them  and  so 
to  save  them,  and  yet  they  dare  not  set  up  the  old  man  ;  therefore 
they  set  up  an  image  of  the  old  man,  an  imagination,  an  image  of  the 


THE  REVELATION   OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  137 

beast,  and  this  is  their  saviour  ;  this  regenerate  man,  yea,  this 
"  reoenerate  sinner,"  as  they  call  the  image  of  the  old  sinner  (for 
they  confess  it  is  a  sinner,  a  beast)  does  good,  that  is,  works  right- 
eousness and  saves  them  ! 

This  substitute  for  the  beast  they  call  "  a  change  cf  heart,''''  and 
they  teach  that  though  the  old  man,  the  sinful  man  or  the  beast, 
cannot  do  good,  yet  they  get  a  new  man,  they  themselves,  that  is, 
the  filthy  beast,  becomes  a  changed  man,  and  it  is  this  changed  man, 
or  this  regenerate  man,  who  does  good  !  who,  in  other  words,  is  their 
saviour ;  for  at  all  events  they  will  not  receive  Christ  to  be  the  Christ 
and  saviour,  "  7vorking  mightily  in  them  that  believe.''''  Thus  they 
substitute  an  ideal  image  of  the  beast  for  the  beast  itself.  This  is  the 
image  of  the  beast  which  they  say  that  the  men  of  the  earth  should 
make  !  it  is  an  imaginary  creature  instead  of  the  old  creature,  an 
image  of  the  beast  instead  of  the  beast  itself;  it  is  an  imagination  of 
their  own,  that  is,  an  image. 

Thus  while  they  pretend  to  say  they  cannot  do  good,  and  persuade 
themselves  they  have  no  trust  in  man,  (that  is,  are  not  worshippers 
of  the  beast,)  yet  as  soon  as  they  have  taught  a  man  to  make  this 
image,  then  they  tell  him  he  has  got  a  change,  a  new  heart,  an  ima- 
ginary something  in  him,  and  now  he  can  do  good  ;  and  they  call 
upon  the  filthy  sinner,  "  the  regenerate  sinner,''''  to  do  good,  that  is, 
to  work  righteousness,  letting  him  know,  every  now  and  then,  that  it 
is  not  he  who  does  good,  but  this  new  thing,  this  image  of  the  old 
man,  this  image  of  the  beast.  Thus  by  their  gross,  fleshly  and 
abominable  perversion  of  the  words  of  God,  by  their  sensual  and 
earthly  interpretations,  they  bring  forth  the  old  man,  the  beast,  under 
a  new  form  or  image  ;  inculcating  earnestly  the  necessity  of  the  new 
birth,  by  which  they  signify  the  necessity  of  making  this  Image. 

Constantly  talking  of  Christ,  they  reject  him  and  will  not  receive 
him  ;  but  they  will  receive  this  something  within  them,  this  ideality, 
this  image,  this  new  self,  yea,  they  will  receive  any  thing  to  work 
righteousness  and  save  them,  rather  than  Christ ;  they  will  acknow- 
ledge any  god  but  the  only  true  God.  Idolatry,  wickedness  and  evil 
deeds  are  dreadful  indeed,  even  alone  and  by  themselves,  but  when 
covetous  men  and  men  who  do  wrong,  add  furthermore  to  their  evil 
the  pretence  of  worshipping  God,  and  say  they  are  his  servants,  and 
his  children,  and  have  his  good  Spirit,  then  wickedness  can  go  no 
farther.  This  is  hypocrisy,  when  a  servant  to  sin  deems  himself  to 
be  a  servant  of  God. 

V.  15.  And  he  Iiad  power  to  give  life  unto  the  image  of  the  beast,  that  the  image 
of  the  beast  should  both  speak,  and  cause  that  as  many  as  would  not  worship  the 
image  of  the  beast  should  be  killed. 

This  image  of  the  beast  appears  to  have  life  ;  they  presume  to  say, 
that  the  grace  of  God  is  with  it,  giving  it  life  and  enabling  it  to  do 
good.  It  has  its  experiences,  its  feelings,  its  holy  frames,  its  pious 
ecstacies  ;  it  is  full  of  talk,  it  is  a  speaking  image  ;  it  has  made  a 
great  show  of  life,  some  of  its  worshippers  have  exhibited  the  utmost 
attainments  of  fleshly  perfection.  It  causes  them  that  will  not  wor- 
ship the  image  to  be  killed,  that  is,  it  breathes  out  condemnation  and 
18 


138  THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHKIST. 

death  to  those  who  do  not  make  "  a  new  heart"  to  themselves ;  and 
men  who  do  not  set  up  the  image,  feel  condemned,  that  is,  are  killed 
for  not  doing  so,  for  not  being  pious,  as  they  feel  they  ought  to  be. 

Thus,  in  this  wonderful  book  of  Revelation,  the  Spirit  of  Christ 
has  accurately  revealed,  many  ages  before,  what  would  come  to  pass; 
viz.  that  men  of  the  earth,  professing  themselves  to  be  children  of 
a  heavenly  kingdom,  would  not  only  look  to  sinful  man  to  do  the 
work  of  Christ,  and  thus  exalt  him  in  the  place  of  Christ,  that  is, 
God  ;  but  that  also,  plunging  deeper  than  this  into  guile  and  confu- 
sion and  lies,  would  set  up  an  image,  a  pretended  new  form  or  image 
of  man,  another  man  as  they  would  persuade  themselves,  a  regenerate 
man,  and,  to  avoid  the  condemnation  of  worshipping  the  first  beast, 
would  look  to  this  imaginary  man,  this  image  of  the  beast  for  right- 
eousness ;  that  is,  would  trust  to  and  worship  it,  attributing  to  it 
wisdom  and  power  and  goodness  which  are  only  in  Christ,  that  is,  in 
God. 

V.  16.  And  he  caused  all,  both  small  and  great,  rich  and  poor,  free  and  bond,  to 
receive  a  mark  in  their  right  hand,  or  in  their  foreheads. 

Every  one  receives  a  mark  ;  it  is  called  the  mark  of  the  name, 
that  is,  of  the  denomination ;  no  one  can  belong  to  them  without 
receiving  the  peculiar  mark  or  characteristic  of  the  sect  he  belongs 
to  ;  this  mark  or  characteristic  of  each  name  or  denomination  con- 
sists in  tenets  or  doctrines  they  hold,  or  in  particular  practices  or 
habits  they  adopt ;  the  principles  or  tenets  form  the  mark  in  their 
foreheads,  and  the  practice  they  pursue  is  the  mark  in  the  hand. 

V.  17.  And  that  no  man  might  buy  or  sell,  save  he  that  had  the  mark,  or  the 
name  of  the  beast,  or  the  number  of  his  name. 

The  power  of  the  Protestant  beast  which  has  been  elevated  out  of 
the  profound  depths  of  the  wicked  heart  of  earthly  men,  (that  is,  out 
of  the  pit  of  the  earth,)  is  diflerent  to  the  power  of  the  first  beast,  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church  ;  they  have  no  sword  in  their  hand,  no 
secular  authority,  therefore  they  resort  to  a  different  way  of  exercis- 
ing authority  and  spreading  their  religious  influence.  If  they  can 
possibly  prevent  it,  no  man  may  buy  or  sell,  no  man  may  trade  or 
carry  on  business  unless  he  is  "  decidedly  pious.^''  If  it  is  known 
that  a  man  who  carries  on  any  business  is  opposed  to  them,  or  is  not 
a  friend  to  the  cause,  who  does  not  belong  to  some  religious  society, 
(that  is,  who  has  not  the  name  of  the  beast  or  the  number  of  his 
name,)  they  will  not  suffer  that  man  to  do  business  if  they  can  help 
it.  Thus  "  he  caiiseth  that  no  man  might  buy  or  sell  save  he  that  has 
the  mark,  or  the  name  of  the  beast  or  the  number  of  his  name."  By 
this  means  the  community  is  in  fear  of  them,  and  they  exercise  great 
dominion,  and  cause  men  to  worship  the  beast  by  such  a  mercenary 
coercion,  which  is  tacitly  understood.  Few  of  those  who  have  ven- 
tured to  war  against  them,  have  escaped  being  what  is  called  ruined 
in  their  business  and  prospects. 

V.  18.  Here  is  wisdom.  Let  him  that  hath  understanding  count  the  number  of 
the  beast :  for  it  is  the  number  of  a  man  :  and  his  number  is  Six  hundred  three- 
score and  six. 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  189 

The  number  of  the  beast  is  six  hundred  and  sixty-six  :  it  is  the 
number  of  a  man,  for  the  beast  is  a  man,  even  sinful  man  ;  the  whole 
number  of  this  beast  is  six  hundred  and  sixty-six,  let  him  that  hath 
understanding,  count  the  names,  or  denominations,  and  the  whole 
number  of  the  name  which  this  beast  has  or  has  had,  will  be  found 
to  be  exactly  the  Number  here  revealed. 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Now  is  resumed  the  continuation  of  the  Revelation  from  the  last 
verses  of  the  11th  chapter,  after  the  interruption  made  in  the  two 
preceding  chapters,  revealing  the  things  relating  to  the  Beast  and 
his  time. 

It  was  revealed  at  the  end  of  the  11th  chapter,  that  when  the 
seventh  Angel  sounded  the  reign  of  Christ  was  come,  and  the  time 
of  the  dead  that  they  should  be  judged ;  that  which  was  there  re- 
vealed as  being  the  things  which  will  then  come  to  pass,  is  now 
revealed  in  the  order  and  particulars  of  the  events  which  now  are  to 
take  place.  The  following  are  those  events  which  will  come  to  pass 
in  the  time  of  the  sounding  of  the  seventh  angel. 

V.  1.  The  church  of  God's  elect,  with  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house 
of  Israel,  will  be  assembled  at  Mount  Zion,  and  nations  will  flow 
unto  it. 

V.  2.  The  everlasting  Gospel  will  be  preached  in  all  the  world, 
going  forth  from  Mount  Zion. 

V.  3,  The  blessedness  of  those  who  now  repent  and  believe,  will 
henceforth  be  greater  than  has  been  for  1260  years. 

V.  4.  The  elect  of  God  will  be  reaped  or  gathered  in  from  the 
world,  great  multitudes  will  believe,  for  the  harvest  will  have  come  ; 
after  which  many  false  professors,  the  vine  of  the  earth,  will  be 
reaped,  and  the  winepress  trodden. 

V.  5.  Now  before  the  end  cometh,  seven  last  plagues  will  be 
poured  out  upon  the  earth. 

V.  6.  A  great  confederacy  and  alliance  will  be  entered  into  by 
the  beast,  like  a  lamb  with  the  kings  of  the  earth  against  the  saints 
of  God.  They  will  have  a  false  prophet  among  them,  working 
miracles  and  deceiving  them  that  worship  the  beast  and  his  image. 
Their  power  will  appear  overwhelming  and  invincible,  and  it  will 
appear  to  them  that  God  has  commissioned  them  ;  they  will  be  like 
Sennacherib  and  his  host  in  the  days  of  King  Hezekiah :  which  Sen- 
nacherib is  a  prophetic  type  of  this  great  and  powerful  confederacy. 
As  Hezekiah  trembled  so  the  saints  of  God  will  be  alarmed  and 
tremble,  that  is,  "  the  powers  which  are  in  heaven  will  be  shaken." 
Many  among  lliem  will  prove  they  were  not  of  them  and  will  fall 
from  the  steadfastness  they  may  have  hitherto  maintained,  that  is, 
"  the  stars  will  fall  from  heaven."  There  will  be  gross  darkness  in 
the  earth  which  however  they  will  mistake  for  light,  "  the  sun  will 
be  darkened  and  the  moon  will  not  give  her  light,"  this  will  be  in 
all  the  land  of  Egypt.  They  will  gather  together  to  destroy  the 
saints  of  God,  in  a  place  called  in  Hebrew  Armageddon. 


140  THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

V.  7.  The  Roman  Catholic  Church,  which  is  Babylon,  the 
Mother  of  Harlots  and  abominations  of  the  earth,  will  be  utterly 
destroyed  before  the  coming  of  Christ,  as  Jeremiah  and  the  other 
prophets  have  foretold,  God  will  send  against  them  a  powerful  nation 
from  the  north  ;  but  the  Son  of  Perdition,  the  beast  like  a  lamb,  the 
earthly  protestants  and  their  doctrine  (viz.  exalting  sinful  man,  or 
an  imaginary  man,  as  doing  good  or  working  righteousness)  will 
remain  till  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  "  whom  the  Lord  shall  consume 
with  the  spirit  of  his  mouth  and  the  brightness  of  his  coming." 

V.  8.  When  the  enemies  of  God's  people  appear  sure  of  triumph 
and  too  powerful  to  be  overcome,  being  gathered  together  with  great 
confidence  and  power  as  if  for  inevitable  victory  and  triumph,  so  that 
the  saints  of  God  are  shaken  and  troubled,  then  God  will  hear  their 
cry  and  behold  their  distress  and  the  pride  of  the  enemy,  and  he  will 
come  down  to  deliver  them.  Then,  even  then  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
will  appear,  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  with  power  and  great 
glory  and  all  his  holy  angels  with  him,  in  flaming  fire,  taking  ven- 
geance of  his  enemies.  The  mighty  host  of  his  enemies  will  be 
destroyed  by  the  word  of  his  mouth  and  the  brightness  of  his  coming, 
the  bodies  of  this  huge  carcass  will  be  given  to  the  fowls  of  heaven, 
the  carcass  will  be  there,  and  thither  will  the  eagles  be  gathered 
together. 

V.  9.  The  resurrection  of  them  that  are  Christ's  will  now  take 
place  at  this  his  coming,  and  some  will  rise  to  shame  and  everlasting 
contempt.  The  seventh  angel  now  will  have  finished  sounding,  Christ 
will  reign ;  God  will  have  taken  to  himself  his  great  power,  and  the 
mystery  of  God  will  be  finished,  as  was  uttered  by  the  four  and 
twenty  elders,  when  at  the  beginning  of  the  sounding  of  the  seventh 
angel  they  fell  upon  their  faces  and  worshipped  God.  This  is  the 
first  resurrection. 

Thus  the  world  will  go  on  as  usual  and  the  idolatrous  and  unbe- 
lieving be  as  confident  as  ever  in  the  things  in  which  they  trust,  and 
will  not  acknowledge  nor  trust  in  God  only,  till  the  very  moment 
when  Christ  shall  appear  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  with  ten  thousand 
of  his  saints  to  exercise  judgment  upon  all,  as  Enoch  prophesied. 
They  will  wilfully  shut  their  eyes  to  the  truth,  to  invincible  facts, 
because  they  will  love  darkness  rather  than  light,  till  the  very 
moment  when  sudden  destruction  will  come  upon  them  unawares, 
and  they  will  suddenly  be  destroyed,  and  that  without  mercy. 

CHAPTER  XV. 

V.  1.  And  I  looked,  and  lo,  a  Lamb  stood  on  the  mount  Sion,  and  witli  him  a 
hundred  forty  and  four  thousand,  having  his  Father's  name  written  in  their  fore- 
heads. 

The  church  of  falsehood  and  confusion  has  been  signified  by  a 
beast ;  the  Church  of  Christ  is  also  designated  under  the  figure  of  a 
beast ;  but  the  one  is  a  dragon,  the  other  is  a  Lamb.  It  is  here 
revealed  that  the  Church  of  Christ  will  stand  on  Mount  Zion  :  hither- 
to a  beast  "  like  a  lamW''  has  been  seen  on  the  earth,  deceiving  men, 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  141 

but  now  the  real  lamb  is  seen  on  Mount  Zion,  "  a  city  set  upon  a 
hill." 

Now  will  be  fulfilled  the  words  spoken  before  by  the  prophets 
Isaiah  and  Micah,  who  prophesied  of  these  times.  "  But  in  the  last 
days  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  the  mountain  of  the  house  of  the  Lordy 
shall  he  established  in  the  top  of  the  mountains,  and.  it  shall  he  exalted 
above  the  hills,  and  people  shall  foio  unto  it.''''    (Micah  iv.  1.) 

With  the  Lamb  there  are  a  hundred  forty  and  four  thousand  : 
these  are  of  the  tribes  of  Israel,  they  have  joined  the  Lamb,  the 
Church  of  Christ,  they  are  "  with  him." 

V.  3.  And  they  snng-  as  it  were  a  new  song  before  tlie  throne,  and  before  the 
four  beasls,  and  the  elders  :  and  no  man  could  learn  that  song  but  the  hundred  and 
forty  and  four  tiiousand,  which  were  redeemed  from  the  earth. 

No  man  could  learn  that  song  but  those  of  the  tribes  of  Israel. 
When  God  shall  gather  together  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Is- 
rael, as  he  hath  promised  that  he  would  do  when  they  should  accept 
their  long  punishment  and  banishment,  and  return  to  him  acknow- 
ledging their  sins,  then  among  all  the  redeemed  of  the  Lord,  these 
will  have  a  song  of  praise,  which  they  only  can  learn  who  have 
suffered  what  they  have  suffered.  It  is  the  song  of  the  house  of  Is- 
rael, on  the  turning  again  of  its  captivity. 

V.  4.  These  are  they  which  were  not  defiled  with  women  ;  for  they  are  virgins. 
These  are  they  which  follow  the  liamb  whithersoever  lie  goeth.  These  were  re- 
deemed from  among  men,  being  the  first-fruits  unto  God  and  to  the  Lamb. 

They  are  Israelites  indeed,  in  spirit,  not  in  the  letter,  in  whom  is 
no  guile  :  they  are  "  without  fault^''  being  sprinkled  with  the  blood 
of  Christ,  the  lamb,  the  passover  which  is  slain  for  us  ;  God  beholdeth 
no  iniquity  in  Jacob,  in  their  great  High  Priest  in  whom  he  vieweth 
them,  who  also  bears  their  names  on  his  bosom.  They  were  not 
defiled  with  women,  with  the  harlot  churches  of  the  earth,  as  niany 
have  been ;  they  follow  the  lamb  :  "  my  sheep  hear  my  voice  and  I 
know  them,  and  they  follow  me^ 

V.  6,  7.  And  I  saw  another  angel  fly  in  the  midst  of  heaven,  having  the  ever- 
lasting gospel  to  preach  unto  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth,  and  to  every  nation, 
and  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people,  saying  v;ith  a  loud  voice,  Fear  God,  and  give 
glory  to  him ;  for  the  hour  of  his  judgment  is  come  :  and  worship  him  that  made 
heaven,  and  earth,  and  the  sea,  and  the  fountains  of  waters. 

Now  will  be  fulfilled  the  words  of  Christ,  "  and  this  Gospel  of  the 
kingdom  shall  be  preached  in  all  the  world,  for  a  xcitness  unto  all  na- 
tions ;  and  then  shall  the  end  corned  For  now  the  Gospel  goes  forth 
from  the  hill  of  Zion,  it  is  preached  to  the  religious  world  that  now 
is,  and  also  to  every  nation,  "  unto  them  that  dwell  on  the  earth,  and 
to  every  nation:''''  confirming  the  fact  that  the  '^'^ earth''''  signifies  only 
the  professing  world,  who  are  the  enemies  of  Christ,  who  "  shall  he 
made  his  footstool ;"  and  another  Scripture  says,  "  the  earth  is  his 
footstool." 

V.  8.  And  there  followed  another  angel,  saying,  Babylon  is  fallen,  is  fallen,  that 
great  city,  because  she  made  all  nations  drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  her  for. 
nication. 


142  THE  REVELATION  OP  JESUS  CHRIST. 

The  fall  of  Babylon,  "  that  great  city,''''  the  Mother  of  harlots  and 
abominations  of  the  earth,  viz.  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  is  here 
announced  and  its  destruction  cometh  immediately. 

V.  9  to  11.  And  the  third  angel  followed  them,  saying  with  a  loud  voice,  If  any 
man  worship  the  beast  and  iiis  image,  and  receive  his  mark  in  his  forehead,  or  in 
his  hand,  the  same  shall  drink  of  the  wine  of  the  wrath  of  God,  which  is  poured 
out  without  mixture  into  the  cup  of  his  indignation ;  and  he  shall  be  tormented 
with  fire  and  brimstone  in  tiie  presence  of  the  holy  angels,  and  in  the  presence  of 
the  Lamb :  and  the  smoke  of  their  torment  ascendeth  up  for  ever  and  ever :  and 
they  have  no  rest  day  or  night,  who  worship  the  beast  and  his  image,  and  wlioso- 
ever  receiveth  the  mark  of  his  name. 

After  the  warning  to  the  Roman  Catholic  beast,  comes  a  separate 
warning  to  the  Protestant  beast,  and  those  that  receive  the  number 
of  its  name.  It  is  a  dreadful  warning  given  to  those  who  will  still 
proudly  continue  to  worship  the  beast,  or  his  image,  (that  is,  to  look 
to  sinful  man,  or  to  what  they  call  the  regenerate,  sinful  man,  to 
work  righteousness,  instead  of  looking  to,  that  is,  worshipping  Christ.) 
The  warning  is  given  to  all  who  still  will  adhere  to  the  religious 
tenets  or  practices  of  the  beast,  "  I'lke  a  lamb  ;"  that  is,  who  receive 
the  mark  of  any  denomination  or  name  whatever.  It  is  a  warning  of 
the  most  awful  judgment  that  is  to  be  found  in  all  the  Scriptures. 

V.  12.  Here  is  the  patience  of  the  saints  ;  here  are  they  that  keep  the  com- 
mandments of  God,  and  the  faith  of  Jesus. 

The  patience  and  suffering  of  the  saints  will  be  chiefly  exercised 
in  resisting  the  strong  delusions  of  the  beast  and  his  image ;  of  the 
piety  of  man  a  sinner,  or  of  the  imaginary  regenerate  sinner :  they 
who  overcome  are  those  who  keep  the  commandments  of  God  and 
the  faith  of  Jesus. 

V.  13.  And  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying  unto  mc,  Write,  Blessed  are  the 
dead  which  die  in  the  Lord  from  henceforth  :  Yea,  saith  the  Spirit,  that  they  may 
rest  from  their  labours  ;  and  their  works  do  follow  them. 

Now  the  time  is  come  when  they  are  blessed  who  die  in  the  Lord, 
they  rest  from  their  labours  and  sufferings  ;  that  is,  hitherto  in  the 
time  of  the  42  months,  or  12G0  years,  the  people  of  God  who  have 
died  in  the  Lord,  who  have  died  to  every  false  hope  and  been  poor 
and  needy  and  contrite  and  broken  in  spirit,  from  the  knowledge  of 
their  total  destitution  of  all  righteousness,  (which  knowledge  of  sin 
is  by  the  law,  and  is  death,)  they  have  not  been  blessed  and  com- 
pletely delivered  from  labour  and  sorrow,  and  brought  forth  the  fruits 
of  righteousness  by  Jesus  Christ ;  but  now  "  henceforth.  Blessed  are 
the  dead  tohich  die  in  the  Lord,^'  they  who  now  are  slain  or  dead  by 
the  knowledge  of  their  unrighteousness  and  the  want  of  righteousness, 
who  now  suffer  this  repentance  and  abhorrence  of  their  own  works, 
will  immediately  enter  into  Rest,  and  be  delivered  from  their  labours 
and  be  filled  with  Christ  and  his  righteousness  ;  "  their  works  (which 
are  by  Him)  do  follow  them."  That  "  to  die  in  the  Lord"  signifies 
what  is  here  stated  is  manifest,  for  they  who  believe  "  die  no  more ;" 
even  when  they  depart  out  of  the  world  they  do  not  die,  they  sleep 
in  Jesus. 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  143 

V.  14  to  16.  And  I  looked,  and  behold  a  white  cloud,  and  upon  the  cloud  one 
sat  like  unto  the  Son  of  men,  having  on  his  head  a  golden  crown,  and  in  his  hand 
a  sharp  sickle.  And  another  angel  came  out  of  the  temple,  crying  witii  a  loud  voice 
to  him  that  sat  on  the  cloud,  Thrust  in  thy  sickle,  and  reap  :  for  the  time  is  come 
for  thee  to  reap  ;  for  the  harvest  of  the  earth  is  ripe.  And  he  that  sat  on  the  cloud 
thrust  in  his  sickle  cjn  the  earth;  and  the  earth  was  reaped. 

"  The  earth  is  reapedy  Now,  before  the  tares  are  destroyed, 
Christ  gathers  his  wheat  into  his  garner ;  he  "  gathers  together  his 
elect  from  the  four  corners  of  the  earth.''"' 

V.  18,  to  the  find.  And  another  angel  came  out  from  the  altar,  which  had  power 
over  fire ;  and  cried  with  a  loud  cry  to  him  that  had  the  sharp  sickle,  saying, 
Thrust  in  thy  sharp  sickle,  and  gather  the  clusters  of  the  vine  of  the  earth  ;  for  her 
grapes  are  fully  ripe. 

And  after  the  earth  has  been  reaped  "  the  vine  of  the  earth  is 
gathered,''''  the  vine  of  Sodom,  which  when  God  looked  that  it  should 
bring  forth  grapes,  brought  forth  wild  grapes. 

CHAPTER  XV. 

In  this  chapter  it  is  revealed,  that  immediately  before  the  pouring 
out  of  the  last  vials  of  God's  wrath  upon  the  earth,  the  redeemed  of 
the  Lord  are  collected  from  off  the  earth  and  gathered  together,  and 
the  temple  of  God  is  opened  in  heaven. 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

The  vials  of  God's  wrath  are  now  poured  out. 

V.  10.  And  the  fifth  angel  poured  out  his  vial  upon  the  seat  of  the  beast;  and 
his  kingdom  was  full  of  darkness  ;  and  they  gnawed  their  tongues  for  pain. 

When  the  fifth  is  poured  out  the  kingdom  of  the  beast  is  full  of 
darkness,  then  is  darkness  in  the  land  of  Egypt ;  the  sun  and  the 
moon  are  darkened  and  do  not  give  their  light ;  now  also  many  who 
love  this  present  world  will  fall  from  their  steadfastness,  these  are 
called  stars  falling  from  heaven.  All  these  things  will  come  to  pass 
in  the  sounding  of  the  seventh  angel,  and  it  is  immediately  after  the 
trouble  and  tribulation  of  this  present  day,  spoken  of  in  chapter  12th, 
for  the  sounding  of  the  seventh  angel  is  the  time  after  this  previous 
time  of  trouble,  when  Satan  has  poured  out  his  flood  upon  the  earth. 
Christ  foretold  this  darkness  which  will  now  take  place,  saying, 
"  immediately  after  the  tribulation  of  those  days  shall  the  sun  be 
darkened  and  the  moon  shall  not  g'lve  her  light,  and  the  stars  shall 
fall  from  heaven,  and  the  poivers  of  the  heavens  shall  be  shaken  ;  and 
then  shall  appear  the  sign  of  the  Son  of  man  in  heaven,  and.  then  shall 
all  the  tribes  of  the  earth  mourn,  and  they  shall  see  the  Son  of  man 
coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  w'lth  power  and  great  glory.''''  (Matt. 
xxiv.  29,  30.) 

V.  14  to  16.  For  they  are  the  spirits  of  devils,  working  miracles,  which  go  forth 
unto  the  kings  of  the  earth  and  of  the  whole  world,  to  gather  them  to  the  battle  of 
that  great  day  of  God  Almighty.  Behold,  I  come  as  a  thief.  Blessed  is  he  that 
watcheth,  and  keepeth  his  garments,  lest  he  walk  naked,  and  they  see  his  shame. 
And  he  gathered  them  together  into  a  place  called  in  the  Hebrew  tongue  Arma- 
geddon. 


144  THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST. 

When  the  sixth  is  poured  out,  the  confederacy  against  the  holy  city 
begins,  and  at  the  same  time  the  glorious  coming  of  Christ  is  an- 
nounced :  "  Behold  I  come  as  a  t/iicf,  Blessed  is  he  that  watcheth  and 
keepeth  his  garments."  It  is  here  revealed  that  the  enemies  of  the 
Gospel  will  be  gathered  together  into  a  place  called  in  the  Hebrew 
tongue  Armageddon. 

When  the  seventh  vial  is  poured  out,  "It  is  done"  is  pronounced 
out  of  the  temple  of  heaven  from  the  throne.  The  time  of  his  coming 
is  now  arrived,  first  there  are  voices  and  thunderings  and  lightnings; 
Babylon  is  shaken  and  divided  into  three  parts ;  there  is  a  "  great 
hail."  The  particulars  of  the  coming  of  Christ  are  revealed  in  a 
subsequent  chapter,  and  in  the  meanwhile,  in  the  next. 

In  the  17th  chapter,  a  minute  description  is  given  of  Babylon,  the 
Mother  of  harlots,  previous  to  her  utter  destruction ;  and  in  the  18th 
chapter  a  separate  account  of  her  terrible  ruin  is  given,  these  two 
chapters  forming  an  interruption  to  the  revelation,  the  order  of  which 
is  again  resumed  in  the  19th  chapter. 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

V.  1  to  3.  True  and  rig-hteous  are  his  judgments  ;  for  he  hath  judged  the  great 
whore,  which  did  corrupt  the  earth  with  her  fornication,  and  hath  avenged  the 
blood  of  his  servants  at  lier  hand.  And  again  they  said.  Alleluia.  And  her  smoke 
rose  up  for  ever  and  ever. 

The  Roman  Catholic  Church  and  the  Greek,  a  branch  of  her,  will 
now  have  been  destroyed ;  previous  to  the  coming  of  Christ :  here 
end  the  42  months,  for  she  was  to  continue  that  time.  The  beast 
like  a  lamb,  the  protestant  beast  still  remains,  for  as  the  Apostle 
prophesied  to  the  Thessalonians,  this  beast  was  only  to  be  destroyed 
"  vdth  the  brightness  of  his  coining,"  whereby  it  is  manifest  that  the 
man  of  sin,  the  son  of  perdition  who  shall  be  destroyed  with  the 
brightness  of  his  coming,  is  indeed  the  second  beast,  which  rose  out 
of  the  earth,  out  of  the  deep  pit,  viz.  the  Protestant  beast  like  a 
lamb ;  for  the  first  beast  is  destroyed  before  his  appearing,  as  it  is 
written,  "  her  smoke  rose  up  for  ecer  and  ever."^ 

V.  7.  Let  us  be  glad  and  rejoice,  and  give  honour  to  him  :  for  the  marriage  of 
the  Lamb  is  come,  and  his  wife  hath  made  herself  ready. 

The  marriage  of  the  Lamb  is  now  come :  now  "  when  he  shall 
appear,  we  shall  be  like  him ;  for  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is."  (1 
John  iii.  2.) 

V.  11  to  15.  And  I  saw  heaven  opened,  and  bcliold,  a  white  horse  ;  and  he  that 
sat  upon  him  was  called  Faithful  and  True;  and  in  righteousness  he  doth  judge 
and  make  war.  And  tiie  armies  which  were  in  heaven  followed  him  upon  white 
horses,  clothed  in  fine  linen,  while  and  clean.  And  out  of  his  mouth  goeth  a  sharp 
sword,  that  with  it  he  sliould  smite  the  nations ;  and  he  shall  rule  them  with  a  rod 
of  iron  :  and  he  treadeth  the  wine  press  of  the  fierceness  and  wrath  of  Almighty 
God. 

This  is  the  glorious  coming  of  Christ,  who  comes  with  destruction 
to  his  enemies,  for  he  s!i;ill  make  war  against  them  and  destroy  them 
"  by  the  spirit  of  his  mouth  and  the  brightness  of  his  coming"  as 


THE  REVELATION  OF  JESUS  CHRIST.  145 

the  Apostle  Paul  has  foretold.     "  The  spirit  of  his  mouth,"  is  here 
signified  by  the  figure  "  a  sharp  sword.'''' 

V.  17  to  19.  And  I  saw  an  angel  standing  in  the  sun ;  and  he  cried  with  a  loud 
voice,  saying-  to  all  the  fowls  that  tly  in  the  midst  heaven,  Come,  and  gather  your- 
selves together  unto  the  supper  of  the  great  God ;  that  ye  may  eat  the  flesh  of 
kings,  and  the  flesh  of  captains,  and  the  flesh  of  mighty  men,  and  the  flesh  of  horses, 
and  of  them  that  sit  on  them,  and  the  flesh  of  all  men,  both  free  and  bond,  both 
small  and  great.  And  I  saw  the  beast,  and  the  kings  of  the  earth,  and  tlieir  armies, 
gathered  together  to  make  war  against  him  that  sat  on  the  horse,  and  against  his 
army. 

The  body  or  carcass  of  his  enemies  who  were  gathered  together 
against  his  people,  and  the  fowls  which  are  assembled,  were  both 
foretold  by  Christ  in  these  words,  "  Wheresoever  the  carcass  is,  thither 
will  the  eagles  be  gathered  together."  They  are  now  gathered  to- 
gether by  command,  for  the  carcass  is  there,  a  great  supper  ready 
for  them. 

CHAPTER  XX. 

The  first  resurrection  now  comes  to  pass ;  which  Daniel  has  also 
foretold,  saying,  "  And  many  of  them  that  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the 
earth  shall  atcake."  When  he  says  "  many,"  he  shows  that  it  is 
not  the  last  and  great  resurrection,  but  of  many,  that  is,  not  of  all. 
Paul  also  prophesied  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ  of  this  first  resurrection, 
showing  that  the  end,  when  the  general  resurrection  will  be,  cometh 
after  this :  saying,  "  But  every  man  in  his  own  order  :  Christ  the 
first  fruits ;  afterward  they  that  are  Chrisfs  at  his  coming  ;  then 
cometh  the  end,"  which  end  here  spoken  of,  is  the  Resurrection  when 
the  thousand  years  have  expired.     He  also  says  in  another  place  : 

Them  which  sleep  in  Jesus  will  God  bring  with  him.  For  the  Lord  himself 
shall  descend  from  heaven  with  a  shout,  with  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and 
with  the  trump  of  God  :  and  the  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first :  then  we  which  are 
alive  and  remain,  shall  be  caught  up  together  with  them  in  the  clouds,  to  meet  the 
Lord  in  the  air :  and  so  shall  we  ever  be  with  the  Lord. 

The  judgment  of  the  enemies  of  Christ  will  now  be,  as  well  as  the 
reward  of  them  that  have  loved  him.  "  As  for  those  mine  enemies 
that  would  not  I  should  reign  over  them,  bring  them  hither  and  slay 
them  before  me."  And  Daniel  prophesies  that  now  there  will  be  a 
resurrection  of  "  some  to  shame  and  everlasting  contempt."  Now 
is  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  and  all  who  have  belonged  to  his  kingdom 
will  be  judged  by  the  words  of  his  mouth 

These  sayings  are  faithful  and  true.  And  the  Lord  God  of  the  holy  prophets 
sent  his  angel  to  show  unto  his  servants  the  things  vi'hich  must  shortly  be  done. 
Behold,  I  come  quickly  ;  blessed  is  he  that  keepeth  the  sayings  of  the  prophecy  of 
this  book.  I  Jesus  have  sent  my  angel  to  testify  unto  you  these  things  in  the 
churches.  I  am  the  root  and  the  offspring  of  David,  and  the  bright  and  morning' 
star.  And  the  Spirit  and  the  bride  say.  Come.  And  let  him  that  heareth  say, 
Come.  And  let  him  that  is  athirst  come.  And  whosoever  will,  let  him  take  the 
water  of  life  freely.  He  which  testifleth  these  things  saith,  Surely  I  come  quickly  : 
Amen.  Even  so,  come,  Lord  Jesus.  The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with 
you  all.  Amen. 
19 


THE 

PARABLE  OF   THE  TALENTS. 


Christ  himself  (not  only  in  the  Revelations)  but  also  when  on 
earth  even  before  he  suffered,  prophesied  of  this  generation  and 
accurately  described  them.  The  people  thought  that  the  kingdom 
of  God  would  then  appear,  upon  which  he  spake  this  parable  unto 
them,  in  which  he  describes  the  diiferent  ages  of  Christianity  in 
three  divisions,  and  shows  to  the  utmost  exactness  the  character  of 
this  the  last  generation. 

LUKE,  CHAPTER  XIX. 

V.  12.  He  said  therefore,  A  certain  nobleman  went  into  a  far  country  to  receive 
for  himself  a  kingdom,  and  to  return. 

Christ  ascended  into  heaven  the  far  country,  to  sit  on  the  throne 
of  his  glory,  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  till  his  enemies  were  made  his 
footstool,  and  then  (that  is  now  quickly)  to  return. 

V.  13.  And  he  called  his  ten  servants,  and  delivered  them  ten  pounds,  and  said 
unto  them,  Occupy  till  I  come. 

The  money  or  talents  represents  the  treasure  of  the  Gospel  which 
in  the  several  times  he  hath  given,  in  such  proportion  as  pleased  him. 

V.  14.  But  his  citizens  hated  him,  and  sent  a  message  after  him,  saying,  We 
will  not  have  this  man  to  reign  over  us. 

Here  is  described  the  world  in  general  (the  sea),  those  who  have 
altogether  rejected  his  authority. 

V.  15.  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  when  he  was  returned,  having  received  the 
kingdom,  then  he  commanded  these  servants  to  be  called  unto  him,  to  whom  he  had 
given  the  money,  that  he  might  know  how  much  every  man  had  gained  by  trading. 

The  coming  of  Christ  and  the  judgment  is  here  described,  when 
Christ  shall  come  and  judge  his  people. 

Vs.  16,  17.  Then  came  the  first,  saying,  Lord,  thy  pound  hath  gained  ten  pounds. 
And  he  said  unto  him.  Well,  thou  good  servant :  because  thou  hast  been  faithful  in 
a  very  little,  have  thou  authority  over  ten  cities. 

The  first  age  of  Christianity  is  here  described,  when  the  treasure 
of  the  Gospel  was  faithfully  dispensed  by  those  who  had  it  in  their 
charge,  and  brought  forth  fruit  abundantly. 

Vs.  18,  19.  And  the  second  came,  saying,  Lord,  thy  pound  hath  gained  five 
pounds.     And  he  said  likewise  to  him.  Be  thou  also  over  five  cities. 

The  second  period  is  here  represented,  when  false  doctrine  had 
spread,  and  the  fruit  of  the  Gospel  was  diminished. 

V.  20  to  23.  And  another  came,  saying.  Lord,  behold,  here  is  thy  pound,  which 
I  have  kept  laid  up  in  a  napkin  :  For  I  feared  thee,  because  thou  art  an  austere  man  : 
thou  takest  up  that  thou  layedst  not  down,  and  rcapcst  that  thou  didst  not  sow.  And 
he  saith  unto  him.  Out  of  thine  own  mouth  will  I  judge  thee,  thou  wicked  servant. 
Thou  knewcst  that  I  was  an  austere  man,  taking  up  that  I  laid  not  down,  and 


THE  PARABLE  OP  THE  TALENTS.  147 

reaping  that  I  did  not  sow :  Wherefore  then  gavest  not  thou  my  money  into  the 
bank,  that  at  my  coming  I  might  have  required  mine  own  with  usury  ? 

The  present  and  last  Time  is  here  described  in  which  the  Gospel 
is  entirely  hid  and  wrapped  up  in  the  filthy  napkin  of  human  Righte- 
ousness. The  preachers  of  this  time  are  accurately  described.  God 
saves  the  poor  and  the  helpless  freely  and  gratis ;  only  because  he 
will  have  mercy  and  is  gracious,  it  is  the  entire  and  sole  act  of  his 
Grace  and  favour ;  and  since  it  is  of  Grace,  the  sinner  has  nothing  to 
pay  or  to  do,  otherwise  it  is  no  Grace  at  all.  (Romans.) 

This  is  the  glorious  and  joyful  tidings  to  sinners,  that  God  in  the 
man  Christ  Jesus  has  done  and  doeth  and  will  do  all  for  them ;  but 
they  who  have  got  this  rich  talent  of  precious  gold  and  pretend  to 
dispense  it  faithfully,  hide  it,  wrap  it  up,  and  falsify  it,  and  preach 
that  the  sinner  has  still  got  something  to  do.  They  don't  believe 
God's  simple  and  plain  word,  "  Believe  and  thou  shalt  be  saved,''  they 
are  afraid  of  this  glorious  Gospel,  they  cannot  give  credit  to  such 
good  news,  such  complete  salvation,  so  glorious,  so  entire,  so  befitting 
the  Mighty  God,  so  completely  fitted  for  the  wretched  and  helpless 
sinner,  such  a  royal  proclamation  of  such  exceeding  riches  of  Grace 
and  Glory.  They  are  afraid  of  the  true  Gospel ;  they  hide,  they  wrap 
it  up,  they  guard  and  surround  it  with  checks  and  provisos.  They 
think  it  pious  and  righteous  to  preach  human  works,  to  deny,  to 
despise,  to  qualify,  to  dilute,  to  hold  back  the  real  good  news.  They 
are  (in  their  own  eyes)  wiser  than  God :  they  question  the  safety, 
the  propriety  of  such  exceeding  rich  and  boundless  liberality,  they 
think  it  unsafe  dangerous  doctrine ;  they  are  afraid,  yea  they  are 
fearful  of  God's  holy  truth  and  rich  Grace,  and  therefore  they  wrap 
it  up,  or  bury  it  in  the  earth  (in  the  mass  and  heap  of  their  own 
earthly  and  worldly  doctrines)  they  want  to  know  how  the  sinner  can 
serve  God,  if  he  has  nothing  to  do,  if  he  has  all  Righteousness  in 
Christ,  if  he  is  quite  delivered  from  the  bit  and  bridle;  they  are  at  a 
loss  to  imagine  how  Christ  Jesus  the  Mighty  God  can  possibly  save 
them  if  he  is  so  kind  and  liberal,  and  if  they  have  nothing  to  do. 
Woe  unto  them,  yea  woe  unto  them ;  for  whereas  Christ  came  to 
save,  they  step  in  between  to  hinder,  to  deny,  to  contradict,  to  kill 
and  to  destroy  !  They  falsify  and  hide  and  bury  the  glad  tidings  ; 
they  give  wormwood  instead  of  the  honey-comb  of  the  Gospel,  they 
withhold  water  from  the  faint  and  thirsty  soul.  They  are  afraid  of 
the  truth  and  hide  it ;  and  they  say  God  is  an  austere  man ;  that  is, 
being  themselves  austere,  morose  and  bigoted  taskmasters,  they  think 
God  is  such  an  one  as  themselves,  and  they  preach  him  as  such,  as 
laying  heavy  burdens  upon  sinners,  as  reaping  where  he  has  not 
sown,  as  wanting  something  from  the  evil  and  unrighteous  and 
poor  and  miserable  sinners !  They  being  austere  men  themselves 
represent  God  as  such  an  one  as  themselves,  and  they  hide  the  talent 
and  preach  their  own  wisdom  instead  thereof,  and  they  gain  no  cities, 
they  produce  no  fruit,  the  Gospel  in  the  little  proportion  they  know 
it,  produces  nothing. 

V.  22,  23.  And  he  saith  unto  him,  Out  of  thine  own  mouth  will  I  judge  thee, 
thou  wicked  servant.     Thou  knewest  that  I  was  an  austere  man,  taking  up  that  I 


148  THE  PARABLE  OF  THE  TALENTS. 

laid  not  down,  and  reaping^  that  I  did  not  sow:  Wherefore  then  gavest  not  thou 
my  money  into  the  bank,  that  at  my  coming'  I  might  have  required  mine  own  with 
usury  ? 

They  will  be  judged  out  of  their  own  mouths,  for  since  they  being 
usurers,  and  never  giving  except  to  get,  and  demanding  a  strict  return 
for  every  penny  they  disburse, — since  they  think  God  like  unto  them- 
selves and  represent  him  as  an  usurer,  not  giving  except  he  gets 
something  in  return,  preaching  that  men  must  pay  God  a  little  piety 
or  something  else  for  his  Grace  and  Goodness, — since  they  so  preach, 
why  do  they  not  also  themselves  actually  pay  God  ?  Why  do  they 
not  really  return  him  something  for  the  talent  of  gold  ?  Nay,  they 
make  their  living  and  their  fortunes  out  of  it,  instead  of  paying  for  it 
themselves,  and  they  tell  others  to  pay  while  they  pay  nothing  them- 
selves !  But  why  do  they  not  really  do  good  and  so  pay  usury,  since 
they  say  they  are  bound  to  do  it?  by  the  law  of  their  own  mouth 
they  are  condemned  for  not  doing  it.  Why,  instead  of  paying  God 
his  own  do  they  so  act  that  the  most  wicked  men  take  courage  and 
blaspheme  God  when  they  see  their  pride  and  covetousness,  their 
folly,  their  inconsistency,  their  bitter  wrathful  and  wrangling  spirit  1 
Out  of  their  own  inouths  they  are  judged  ! 

Thus  this  astonishing  parable  is  a  prophecy,  and  contains  a  most 
accurate  portraiture  of  the  religious  generation  of  this  last  day,  which 
is  the  same  generation  of  serpents  that  crucified  the  Lord  of  Glory, 
and  is  not  yet  passed  away. 

This  parable  was  to  be  hid  and  could  not  possibly  be  understood 
till  this  time.  It  is  the  glory  of  God  to  conceal  a  thing,  and  his 
astonishing  wisdom  and  righteousness,  yea,  his  goodness  and  mercy 
in  blinding  the  eyes  of  the  wicked  and  letting  them  wander  in  the 
complications  of  their  own  wisdom  will  be  made  manifest  to  their 
complete  confusion.  If  this  crime  of  the  wicked  ( — yea,  this  heinous 
crime;  for,  can  there  be  a  greater  enormity  than  to  make  God  a  liar? 
To  tell  sinners  they  have  got  something  to  do,  when  God  has  freely 
forgiven  all  and  done  all  ?  to  tell  them  who  cannot  pay,  that  God  is  a 
usurer  and  expects  to  be  paid  ?  To  tell  them  that  such  usuriousness 
is  God's  Grace?  to  tell  them  that  Christ's  death  is  not  sufficient? 
that  his  Power  and  his  Righteousness  is  not  sufficient  ?  that  he  with- 
out their  work  cannot  save,  and  that  without  it  he  will  not  save?  Is 
it  a  light  thing  to  call  such  lies  the  truth  of  God  ?  to  represent  God 
thus  evil,  austere  and  usurious,  like  unto  corruptible  man?  Is  this  a 
light  thing?  and  to  do  all  this  wickedness  with  solemn  declarations  of 
loving  God  and  obeying  him,  and  with  all  deceitful  appearance  of  piety 
and  holiness?  Is  this  a  light  thing?)  If  this  crime  of  the  wisdom  and 
knowledge  of  man  had  been  foretold  plainly  and  communicated  to 
them  before  it  came  to  pass  it  would  have  been  preventing  them 
from  pursuing  their  own  way  and  doing  as  they  listed,  they  would 
not  have  done  the  deed  which  was  exposed,  and  so  to  expose  it  would 
have  been  to  prevent  them  from  doing  it,  and  to  falsify  the  prophecy 
after  it  was  given.  They  would  have  invented  some  other  way  of 
perverting  and  denying  the  grace  and  goodness  of  God,  and  if  that 
too  had    been   foretold   so   that  they  should   understand,   then  they 


THE  PARABLE  OF  THE  TALENTS.  149 

would  have  evaded  that  also  and  run  upon  some  other  artful  perver- 
sion. No,  when  God  would  let  them  have  their  own  way  and  will 
(which  has  been  given  to  them  for  an  appointed  Time)  it  would  not 
have  been  to  do  so,  by  premature  disclosures.  It  would  have  been  a 
total  hindrance  of  their  own  ways  to  show  exactly  what  they  would 
wickedly  do ;  and  then  what  they  would  do,  they  would  pretend  they 
had  done  by  obligation,  or  by  predestination,  or  by  necessity.  They 
were  before  of  old  ordained  to  this  condemnation,  that  is  to  the  con- 
demnation for  this  wickedness  which  they  would  wilfully  and  wickedly 
do ;  and  they  were  let  alone  to  do  the  things  for  which  their  condem- 
nation was  before  of  old  ordained  ;  therefore  if  their  eyes  had  not  been 
blinded  that  they  should  not  see,  they  would  have  been  hindered  in 
pursuing  their  own  way.  But  now  when  it  is  come  to  pass,  it  is  laid 
open  that  they  have  done  as  God  revealed  they  would  do,  ages  before, 
even  before  there  was  yet  a  single  Christian  in  the  world,  that  ye 
may  believe,  and  that  ye  may  know  verily  that  God  was  in  Christ 
Jesus,  that  he  knew  all  things  and  knoweth  all  things,  yea  the  very 
thoughts  and  secrets  of  men  long  before. 

Some  one  will  say,  God  could  have  prevented  all  this  evil.  Men 
hate  him,  because  he  does  prevent  and  hinder  them  from  fulfilling  all 
their  lusts  and  bringing  all  their  wicked  devices  to  pass ;  and  yet 
they  charge  him  also  because  he  does  not  prevent  them  !  He  suffers 
them  to  show  what  they  really  are,  he  lets  them  alone  to  do  as  they 
list  and  fulfil  some  out  of  their  many  wicked  thoughts,  and  then 
when  they  have  greedily  committed  evil,  they  say  "  He  might  have 
hindered  it — rchy  does  he  not  prevent  the  evil ;"  again,  he  does  not  let 
them  fulfill  all  their  wicked  lusts,  he  limits  and  prevents  them,  and 
they  say  "  There  is  constraint,  we  have  not  free  will,  therefore  we  are 
not  responsible.^'' 

They  professed  to  know  God,  to  know  his  will,  to  follow  it,  and  to 
be  able  and  willing  to  work  Righteousness,  that  is,  to  do  good,  and 
being  confident  in  the  wisdom  of  their  own  hearts  and  sure  that  they 
could  find  out  God,  God  has  tried  them,  and  given  them  power  and 
space  to  try  what  they  could  do,  and  they  have  tried  what  they  could 
do,  and  they  have  laboured  to  show  how  they  could  ascend  into 
heaven.  If  they  had  not  been  tried,  they  would  have  charged  God  fool- 
ishly :  being  confident  and  having  a  firm  conviction  that  their  wisdom 
and  knowledge  would  lift  them  up  to  God,  instead  of  carrying  them 
further  and  further  away  from  him.  And  if  they  had  not  had  their 
way  and  their  trial,  how  would  God's  elect  have  known  assuredly 
that  but  for  his  everlasting  Love,  and  eternal  purpose  of  Grace  and 
mercy  towards  them,  yea,  but  for  his  election  of  Grace,  but  for  his 
creation  of  them  to  be  his  own  peculiar  people,  they  with  all  their 
knowledge  and  understanding,  with  all  their  pious  and  endearing 
feelings,  with  all  their  inward  light  and  fine  resolutions,  with  all  their 
earnest  efforts  and  toils,  with  all  their  divinity  and  morality,  with  all 
their  intellectual  faculties,  they  never  never  never  would  have  turned 
to  him  and  heard  his  voice  and  believed !  no !  never !  but  if  left  to 
try  their  own  selves  and  their  power,  and  their  piety,  they  would  only 
have  sinned  the  more  and  more,  and  departed  further  and  further 


150  THE  PARABLE  OF  THE  TALENTS. 

from  God.  Therefore  as  all  things  are  for  the  elect's  sake,  the  very 
wickedness  which  the  wicked  have  been  let  alone  to  commit  and  had 
free  will  to  exhibit,  will  tend  to  their  salvation  and  make  them 
acknowledge  his  wonderful  mercy,  his  great  power,  his  great  good- 
ness and  love  to  them,  that  he  only  is  their  Creator  and  he  alone 
their  God ;  that  there  was  and  is  no  hope  in  themselves,  and  they 
will  therefore  praise  and  exalt  him  and  magnify  his  holy  name  for 
ever  and  ever. 


NOTE  TO  CHAPTER  VIII.  V.  10th. 

Since  the  eager  reception  given  by  the  Earth  to  this  falsification 
of  the  word  of  God,  it  is  incalculable  to  what  extent  the  power  of 
Satan  has  increased  and  spread  among  those  people  whom  God  had 
blessed  above  all  other  people  with  the  revelation  of  his  holy  truth. 
Before  this  doctrine  appeared,  the  power  of  God  was  manifest  in 
them  that  believed  the  Gospel,  and  the  law  of  God  was  reverenced 
and  feared  by  all  others.  But,  since  this  star  fell  burning  like  a 
lamp,  since  this  root  of  bitterness  sprung  up,  there  has  been  gradually 
arising  (creeping  in,  coming  on  step  by  step,  slowly,  without  being 
noticed,  unawares,  as  the  Apostle  Jude  foretold)  the  most  abominable 
doctrines,  and  wickedness,  and  a  contempt  of  God's  law,  till  at  length 
it  has  now  attained  to  a  height  unequaled  in  any  former  period  of 
the  world.  No  heathen  people  ever  lived  in  such  practical  contempt 
of  their  false  gods,  of  their  maxims  of  virtue,  of  all  law,  as  Christian 
people  now  do  of  the  true  God  and  of  his  righteous  law.  Never  was 
the  law  of  God  so  totally  disregarded,  so  utterly  slain,  as  it  is  at  this 
day.  Never  was  truth  regarded  with  such  tririing  mind,  and  looked 
UDon  as  a  secondary  thing,  subordinate  to  earthly  things,  as  it  now 
is.  Never  was  atheism,  blasphemy  and  lying  so  unblushingly  as- 
serted and  accredited  as  it  now  is.  Never  was  covetousness  and 
unkindness  from  man  to  man  so  recognised  and  even  admitted  as  a 
prudential  virtue  as  it  now  is;  (the  existence  of  a  hospital  and  poor 
house,  or  an  ostentatious  subscription,  or  the  payment  of  a  tax,  being 
deemed  sufficient  excuse  for  covetousness,  hard-heartcdness  and  in- 
humanity; being  the  Corban  by  paying  of  which  men  deem  they  are 
quit  henceforth  of  obeying  God's  law.)  Never  was  money  so  much 
worshipped,  respected  and  greedily  sought  after  ;  never  was  the  evil 
eye,  the  frightful  eagerness  and  making  haste  to  get  rich  so  general 
and  wide  spread.  And  amid  all  this  wickedness  and  moral  deprava- 
tion, never  was  there  witnessed  on  the  earth  before,  so  much 
hypocrisy  and  boasting  on  such  a  miserable  foundation ;  never  such 
great  swelling  words  of  vanity,  such  religious  pride,  such  glorying 
in  the  power  of  man  and  his  vinue,  as  now  is  beheld  among  the 
earthly  professors  whose  abominations  have  at  length  produced  such 
a  consummation  of  desolation  so  appalling,  such  a  wide-spreading  of 
moral  anarchy  and  crime. 

The  reasoning  of  the  men  of  the  Sea  is,  that  since  such  are  the 
servants  of  God  pretending  to  know  and  obey  Him,  "  we  will  not 
serve  God,"  and  others,  "  there  is  no  God."     Woe  unto  them !  Yes, 


THE  PARABLE  OF  THE  TALENTS.  151 

since  they  who  pretend  they  believe  in  God,  and  say  they  have  his 
good  spirit,  are  manifest  to  the  world  and  confessed  by  their  own 
mutual  recriminations  to  be  abominable  and  evil,  griping,  greedy  of 
gain,  harsh,  bijfoted,  backbiters,  usurers, contentious,  malicious,  heady, 
hio-hminded,  unforgiving,  unmerciful, — while  their  virtue  and  piety  is 
beheld  to  be  an  odious  severity  of  outward  appearances  and  petty  ab- 
stinences, and  their  religion  an  empty  boasting  and  affectation  of 
sentiment  and  feelings, — if  these  sects  of  wickedness  (who  believe 
each  other  to  be  Christians  and  yet  mutually  profess  of  one  another 
that  they  are  all  departed  from  the  truth)  if  these  are  servants  of 
God  and  led  by  his  good  spirit,  no  marvel  the  Sea  has  come  openly 
to  the  conclusion  that  there  is  no  God.  But  "  rcrih/  there  is  a  God 
whojudgelh  in  the  earth''''  and  they  shall  know  it  to  their  utter  horror 
and  dismay,  who,  pretending  to  serve  him,  yet  following  their  own 
wisdom  and  theories  and  rejecting  his  word  and  truth,  doing  injustice, 
cause  his  Holy  Name  to  be  so  bldsphemed  through  their  wicked  pre- 
tences. And  also  they  shall  find  it  out  to  their  everlasting  shame  and 
confusion,  who,  being  themselves  evil  men,  judge  Him  by  wicked  men 
like  unto  themselves,  and  dare  to  blaspheme  their  all-wise  and  Al- 
mighty Creator,  whose  word  alone  daily  sustains  them  and  whose 
long  suffering  permits  their  wickedness.  No  man  can  be  excused 
for  following  the  delusions  of  the  religious  world,  for  no  one  who 
believes  the  word  of  God  can  believe  that  they  are  disciples  of 
Christ:  the  Lord  hath  plainly  declared  how  to  know  his  disciples, 
saying  "  By  this  shall  all  men  know  that  ye  are  my  disciples,  if  ye  have 
love  one  to  another.""  They  themselves  when  they  have  to  choose  be- 
tween Christ  and  the  things  of  this  life  deny  him  for  the  sake  of  the 
latter,  and  declare  of  themselves  that  they  are  not  Christians. 

"  Out  of  thine  own  mouth  will  I  judge  thee  thou  wicked  servant,"  saith  the 
Lord. 

In  the  spring  of  the  year  1832  he  who  writes  these  things  left 
Philadelphia,  going  without  scrip  or  purse  to  preach  the  Gospel  of 
.Tesus  Christ.  Having  preached  at  several  places  (no  man  receiving 
his  testimony)  he  arrived  at  Bethlehem  a  city  inhabited  by  a  people 
called  Moravians.  When  he  made  known  to  them  that  he  would 
preach  the  glorious  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  in  the  market  place,  they 
laughed  and  told  him  that  they  had  the  gospel ;  now  it  is  certain  if 
he  had  said  he  came  to  bring  them  a  bag  of  gold  they  would  not 
have  refused  it  and  said  they  had  gold.  Being  first  desirous  to  obtain 
a  place  to  preach  in,  he  was  obliged  to  call  upon  their  Minister,  who 
received  him  at  his  door  where  they  stood  and  talked  together. 
When  he  had  communicated  his  request  and  been  refused  permission 
to  preach  in  their  preaching  house,  as  evening  was  now  fast  drawing 
on  and  he  knew  not  where  to  lay  his  head  he  enquired  of  their 
preacher  whether  he  knew  who  in  that  place  was  worthy,  upon  which 
he  was  briefly  answered  "  No."  Thinking  it  possible  that  the  person 
to  whom  he  spoke  might  not  understand  his  enquiry  he  said  "  I 
mean  can  you  tell  me  of  any  one  in  this  place  who  is  a  Christian," 
and  he  was  answered  briefly  again,  "  No."     Much  surprised,  he  said 


152  THE  PARABLE  OF  THE  TALENTS. 

"  Do  you  really  say  you  know  not  one  Christian  in  this  place  ?"  and 
again  he  said  "  No."    Perceiving  that  this  created  some  surprise  the 
pastor  candidly  explained,  saying  "  he  did  not  like  to  mention  any 
one,  as  they  would  blame  him  for  recommending  me  to  them."  Thus 
when  it  came  to  the  point  either  to  take  a  stranger  in,  or  to  deny 
that  they  were  Christians,  he  did  not  hesitate  in   the  choice,  but 
repeatedly  affirmed  he  did  not  know  a  single  Christian  in  the  whole 
town.    Afterwards  meeting  with  another  person  whose  mortified  and 
pious  countenance  engaged  his  attention,  he  asked  him  if  he  could 
tell  him  whether  he  knew  any  one  who  was  a  Christian  in  this  town: 
this  man  immediately  replied  "  No ;"  and  smiled  at  the  same  time  at 
the  singular  question  and  answer.     Now  these  people  sing  and  talk  a 
great  deal  about  Christ's  love  !  They  speak  much  of  Jesus,  calling 
him  "  dear  Jesus,"  "  the  dear  Redeemer,"  "  lovely  Jesus,"  and  talk 
much  of  his  precious  love  and  such  like  things.     God  abhors  such 
abominable  flatteries  and  hypocrisy:  he  will  not  judge  men  according 
to  their  professions  and  declarations  however  fine  they  may  be,  but 
"  by  thy  works  thou  shalt  be  judged,"  by  what  thou  doest  and  not  by 
what  thou  sayest.     Professions  and  words  and  talk   are   all  worth 
nothing,  they  are  utterly  despicable,  be  they  ever  so  orthodox  or 
ever  so  ecstatic.     God  searcheth  the  hearts  and  trieth  the  reins,  and 
if  a  man  says  that  he  loves  Him,  he  shall  be  tried  whether  he  be  of 
the  truth  or  whether  he  be  a  liar,  whether  he  love  God  or  whether 
he  love  the  world  and  the  things  of  the  world.     This  matter  was  of 
God  who  would  prove  them.    Now  when  they  unhesitatingly  declare 
that  they  are  not  Christians,  can  they  complain  if  another  says  the 
same  thing?  The  same  thing  happened  to  him  in  other  places  also. 
God  delighteth  not  in  fair  speeches  and  smooth  words  and  flattering 
lips,  but  he  delighteth  in  mercy,  even  in  mercy  to  the  ungodly  and 
to  the  sinner;  and  also  in  them  who  are  merciful  to  the  stranger  the 
forlorn  and  the  unworthy,  hoping  for  nothing  again:  with  such  sacri- 
fices God  is  well  pleased.     Let   no  one   however  imagine   he  can 
please  God  by  any  thing  he  can  do ;  "  no  man  cometh  unto  the  Father 
hut  by  me ;"  it  is  only  by  Jesus  Christ  that  any  one  can  approach 
unto  God  and  offer  sacrifices  to  him :  "  whatsoever  is  not  of  faith  is 
sin;"  all  the  deeds  of  men  are  sin.     When  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
was  on  the  earth  suffering  and  in  humiliation,  the  just  for  the  unjust, 
he  lived  by  faith,  even  He  in  whom  was  no  sin !  God  was  in  Him, 
and  God  did  the  works  which  he   did,  he   believed  ;  thus  he  said, 
"  The  father  which  dnelleth  in  me,  he  doeth  the  loorks.^''    God  was  in 
Christ  doing  the  works :  and  they  who  believe  in  his  name,  Jesus 
Christ  is  in  them  doing  the  works  which  please  God  :  so  that  it  is 
not  they  who  do,  but  it  is  Christ  who  dwelleth  in  them:  as  he  says 
"  I  in  them  and  Thou  in  ?/ie,"  and  this  is  what  this  is  what  this  little 
book   preaches,  "  I   in   them,"  they  only  believing,  doing  nothing, 
ceasing  from  all  their  works,  standing  still,  having   rest,  hallowing 
the  Sabbath,  even  Him,  and  then  the  Power  of  God  resteth  on  them! 
Blessed  are  all  they  who  put  their  trust  in  Him ! 

FINIS. 


BS2827  .W59 

A  little  book  open  :  containing  the  cry 

Princeton  Theological  Semmary-Speer  Library 


